


A Shot in the Dark!

by Ninja_Librarian



Series: The Many Adventures of Duckburg's Heroes! [13]
Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Depression, Donald makes a cameo but in a different way, Elise goes crime fighting, Elise's patients test her patience, F/M, Inspired by "Duck Blind", M/M, Mallard-McQuack Fam + Elise being awesome as usual, Mickey and Minnie Mouse make a cameo, Return of Launchpad's Accidental Innuendos now guest starring Gosalyn, Scrooge and HDLW make a cameo, Temporary Blindness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninja_Librarian/pseuds/Ninja_Librarian
Summary: While out on patrol, Darkwing Duck is ecstatic to find a robbery in progress. But not just any robbery with any old robbers. No, it's Megavolt and Morgana! If Darkwing can successfully capture them, then he's that much closer to catching Negaduck.When the chase ends with the villains escaping, Darkwing is in the dark both metaphorically and literally: he can't see! However, Darkwing Duck isn't going to let this opportunity slip out of his fingers, and sight or no sight he's going after them.Can Darkwing Duck and his team capture the bad guys? Or will this be the end of Darkwing Duck's superhero career?
Relationships: Drake Mallard/Launchpad McQuack, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera/Gandra Dee, Jim Starling/Morgana Macawber
Series: The Many Adventures of Duckburg's Heroes! [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1478648
Comments: 49
Kudos: 100





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Very excited to introduce this fic, which is inspired by one of my favorite episodes of Darkwing Duck, "Duck Blind"! This is the first time since "The Duck Knight Rises!" (AKA the very first story in this series) that I've modernized a classic Darkwing Duck episode, so I just hope that I can do it justice.
> 
> Also, very excited to announce that I've just been hired for my first professional librarian job! I start mid-December, and I'm incredibly excited to see where this job will lead for me and my professional life.

It was a quiet night in Duckburg.

Of course, it was always quietest before disaster struck.

Still, at least tonight, most of Duckburg continued to sleep soundly, completely unaware of the events happening inside Billards Department Store…

*****

“Down there, LP,” Darkwing Duck instructed, pointing at an empty parking lot.

“I think most people do their shopping at Billards during the day, DW,” Launchpad commented even as he flew the Thunderquack in the direction instructed.

“Exactly,” Darkwing said, his eyes glinting slightly. “When we passed by here an hour ago, the only car in the parking lot was the cleaner’s van. Now the van is gone. So why are all the third floor lights on?”

Launchpad glanced over at Darkwing and couldn’t help but grin.

“Guess some superhero needs to investigate,” He commented.

“Precisely,” Darkwing said, already tapping on the console in front of him. “Now, let’s see if we can get a better look at what’s going on inside…”

Neither of them were entirely certain that the in-board computer that could tap into every security camera in Duckburg—gifted to them by Dr. Gyro Gearloose—was one-hundred percent legal, but it definitely came in handy.

“Whoa,” Launchpad said, looking over Darkwing’s shoulder once the Thunderquack was safely on the ground. “Those cleaners aren’t that good at their job if they left behind that big of a mess.”

Clothes were strewn everywhere on the floors, draped over racks. Like someone had ransacked the place looking for particular items but without particular care.

“Third floor is women’s apparel,” Darkwing said, having also brought up a store directory.

“Beagle Boys looking for a gift for their mother?” Launchpad suggested.

“Doubt it, her birthday was last month. Though one of them could have really screwed up this time. My money’s on Big Time, if that’s the case,” Darkwing said, switching through the cameras, then pausing on one. “LP, do you see what I see?”

Launchpad leaned forward, his eyes widening as he met Darkwing’s eye. Together, they exclaimed,

“Megavolt and Morgana!”

*****

Megavolt huffed and leaned against the support column.

When Morgana said that she was going to Duckburg to do some ‘shopping’ by way of a five-finger discount in the middle of the night and he volunteered to go with her, he didn’t think she had meant it so literally.

“Are you done yet?” He yelled.

“Just one more!” Morgana called from within the dressing rooms.

Megavolt scowled. He had heard that before. At least five outfits ago. That she paraded about and modeled and preened in front of the mirror, demanding opinions only to dismiss whatever Megavolt told her. There were very few she hated, and infinitely more that she squealed with delight over—like she was fifteen, not fifty—and declaring that Jim would just _adore_ her in the dresses.

At least it was just dresses she was modeling to surprise her boyfriend with and not—Megavolt shuddered at just the thought— _lingerie_.

He reminded himself of this when Morgana burst out of the dressing room, eyes bright and shopping bags hanging from her arms as she declared, “Onto shoes!”

Megavolt groaned, and was almost— _almost_ —happy to see a cloud of dark purple smoke.

“I am the terror that flaps in the night!”

“Oh, great,” Morgana said irritably, folding her arms over her chest as Megavolt pushed himself off the column, electricity crackling in his hands.

“I am the fine print on the coupon! I—!” The smoke cleared, revealing Darkwing Duck standing on the dressing room attendant’s counter, clutching the ends of his cape in both hands. “Am Darkwing Duck!”

“Aren’t you at all concerned about the effects of these smoke bombs on your lungs?” Megavolt demanded.

Darkwing lowered his arms slightly, tilting his head in confusion. “Are you… You’re really concerned about my health?”

“Oh no,” Megavolt said. “I’m way more concerned about the second hand smoke inhalation on my lungs, if we’re being honest.”

Darkwing huffed and put his hands on his hips. “Well, then you’ll be happy to know that these smoke bombs are completely safe and non-toxic. Got ‘em developed by a really clever Junior Woodchuck, if you must know.”

“A Junior Woodchuck, huh?” Megavolt said with a snort. “That explains it.”

“Explains what?” Morgana asked, turning to him, also looking confused.

Megavolt used his thumb to gesture at Darkwing. “Why his costume looks like a cheap cast-off from a Junior Woodchuck production of _The Scarlet Pimperbill_.”

“Ooh, you should not have said that...” Darkwing said, wincing, but not on his own behalf.

For whatever reason, Darkwing’s response made Megavolt suddenly have a feeling that he had pissed off two people—not one, but _two_ —he really shouldn’t have.

*****

At that very moment, halfway across the world, in a series of caves in a mountain, a low growl coming from between them made Dewey, Louie, and Webby jump and yelp in surprise. Louie rushed to put Webby between him and the thing making the growling noise while Dewey reached up to protect his face from…

“Huey?” Webby asked cautiously, her hands raised and ready to attack.

The red-wearing triplet snarled at her, teeth bared, his eyes full of fury, fingers curled like they were ready to slash.

Then, just as suddenly as this sudden and rare display of anger appeared, it disappeared, leaving Huey blinking and rubbing his head.

“Whoa,” He whispered. “That was weird.”

“Are… are you okay?” Louie asked, still hiding behind Webby.

“I think so?” Huey said. “I’m sorry, guys, I just suddenly got full of unbridled rage for some reason. I’m not even sure what I was angry about.”

“It’s not your fault, lad,” Scrooge McDuck said from a few paces in front of them, his eyes not having left the map in his hands during the entire episode. “It’s hereditary. Come on, kids.”

The kids exchanged a glance, shrugged, and moved along. Treasure awaited.

Meanwhile, a lot closer to Duckburg, Minnie Mouse sat bolt upright in bed and hurled her pillow across the room. It hit the wall so hard that her cat, Figaro, who had been sleeping on the nearby chair, startled awake with a yowl, skittering out of the room with his fur standing on end.

“What’s wrong?” Mickey asked, instantly awake at the commotion, looking around. “What happened?”

“I don’t know what happened,” Minnie declared sullenly, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at the wall, boring holes into it with the intensity of her stare. “But I have never been so insulted in all my life!”

Mickey blinked in the darkness, staring at his furious girlfriend. She had been acting weird ever since their last trip to Duckburg, and at this point he had stopped questioning it and was instead rolling with it. “Do I need to stay awake and be indignant on your behalf, or can I go back to sleep now?”

Mickey regretted asking the question as his own pillow was yanked out from under his head and was smacked into his face.

*****

Back in Duckburg, Morgana raised her hand to her necklace, grasping the gleaming Blood Ruby against her chest and said, “Perhaps, Dark Darling, you should consider trying something new. Here, try these on for size!”

She raised her other hand, a blood red glow coming from her fingers. Suddenly, all of her discarded clothing from her impromptu fashion show dumped onto Darkwing, sending him crashing to the floor.

While Darkwing struggled to get the clothes off of him, Morgana turned, grabbing Megavolt and heading for the escalators.

Behind them, they heard Darkwing’s sidekick, Pilot, call out, “I’ve got em, DW!”

Halfway down the escalator with the sidekick on their tail, Megavolt glanced up briefly, grinned, then grabbed Morgana around the waist.

“What are you—?” She asked, scrunching up her face at him in disgust. However, she didn’t get an answer and screamed as Megavolt leapt with her over the side of the escalator, landing on the floor. Morgana glanced back and smirked, seeing what Megavolt had done. While they had jumped, Megavolt had zapped the escalators, turning it on and at a super-fast pace.

And going up, not down.

The resulting crashing sound from upstairs told them that Megavolt had bought them some time.

“Let’s go,” Morgana said, starting towards the next set of escalators.

“Not just yet,” Megavolt said, pointing towards the sports section they had landed nearby. “I’m not leaving here without another tent. Downey snores like you wouldn’t believe, and I am this close—” He held up his hand with his thumb and index finger not that far apart, a spark dancing between his fingers. “—to deep frying that clown your boyfriend rescued from the circus rejects pile.”

Morgana scowled. “Fine. But make it quick. I’ll meet you outside.”

With that, she touched her necklace again and disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Megavolt gagged on the smoke.

He was really starting to regret making the jab about the Junior Woodchucks. They could give Morgana a lesson on using smoke that wasn’t going to kill him someday.

Megavolt dashed into the camping section. Maybe, if he was fast enough, he could snag an appliance or two from the first floor on his way out…

*****

Upstairs on the third level, Darkwing—who had finally freed himself from the enchanted dresses that had been thrown at him—darted past Launchpad, who had fortunately landed on a table covered in soft sweaters, and went to the ‘down’ escalator, hopping onto the railing and sliding down it. Towards the bottom, he leapt off and did a flip in the air, landing on his feet in a crouch, looking around.

 _I’m not losing them,_ he thought to himself. _First lead on Negaduck in weeks and I’m not going to lose it._

He almost cursed as soon as he smelled the smoke. It had to be Morgana’s, from her magic. Were they gone?

Then Darkwing turned his head towards the sports section as he heard a low voice say, “Ooh, aren’t you a saucy little thing. What’s that? You want to come home with me? Well, who am I to turn down such a request from such a lovely lady.”

Darkwing crept along, following the voice, who chuckled and said, “Now, now, ladies, no need to fight over me. I’ll talk you all home with me, how does that sound?”

As he made his way to the camping supplies aisle, Darkwing’s upper beak curled with disgust. At least Megavolt was talking to camping lamps and not actual women, but still. Megavolt was a revolting person.

Darkwing let out a small yelp as his foot caught on the rope of a display tent, sending him falling forward flat on his face. He looked up in time to see Megavolt, his arms laden with lamps, jolt and run towards the escalators.

Darkwing growled under his breath and got up, running after him.

*****

Megavolt leapt onto the down escalator, magnetizing his boots to the railing, then zapped the escalator so that he went down at a super-fast speed.

This was smart in that it got him away from Darkwing Duck the fastest.

This was dumb in that it ended up propelling him right into a candy display.

Darkwing, on the other hand, used his grappling hook to swing down, landing on his feet.

Megavolt shook himself slightly as he climbed out of the wreckage of the candy display, his eye catching on the sign above him, an arrow pointing him in the exact destination he needed.

Megavolt smirked as he took off for the appliance section. Time for Dorkwing to play on his turf…

*****

Morgana, standing outside and tapping her foot impatiently, jumped slightly at hearing the crashing sound from within Billards. She rushed to the door and peered in through the glass, frowning, when she saw Megavolt take off for the appliance section, Darkwing on his heels.

“Oh, for badness’ sake,” She grumbled, touching her ruby again and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. “I’ve got to do everything myself, don’t I?”

*****

Megavolt felt giddy, surrounded by so many appliances. There were blenders, and toasters, and washing machines, and angry sorceresses, and vacuum cleaners, and—

Wait, angry sorceresses?

Megavolt nearly leapt out of his skin when he came face to face with Morgana, who arched an eyebrow at him, her arms folded over her chest.

“Can’t take you anywhere, can I?” She demanded.

“No time for that,” Megavolt said, pushing past her and continuing down the aisle. “Darkwing’s on our tail!”

“No, Darkwing’s on _your_ tail, because you’re the most incompetent villain I’ve ever had the misfortune of working with.” Morgana snapped, following him.

Megavolt turned sharply on her, throwing his arms in the air and yelling, “Well, sorry that I’m not following some dumb script like all those competent villains you worked with who, you know, were captured _by the end of a half-hour episode_! Because they weren’t _real!_ ”

“Yeah, but none of them were stupid enough to give away their location by yelling in the middle of an enclosed location.”

Megavolt spun around to glower at Darkwing Duck, who stood at the end of the aisle, leaning casually against the metal frame, his arms folded over his chest.

“He’s right, you know,” Morgana quipped dryly.

“Oh, put a sock in it,” Megavolt sneered at her.

“You know, Sparky,” Darkwing said, arching an eyebrow in disdain. “You are not a well person.”

Megavolt felt a power surge of rage well up in him.

“What? And you’re normal?” Megavolt demanded. “Running around in some cosplay, shouting about being the… I don’t know, the cold sore that stings your lip? But you want to go on about _my_ weird hobby? Oh, and one more thing, _Purple Weirdo_ : Don’t. Call. Me. Sparky!”

With that, Megavolt reached out to grab the metal frame, giving it a shock, which made Darkwing jump as he was zapped.

Morgana and Megavolt ran down the aisle, Darkwing on their heels. They ran into the lighting section, which was—unfortunately for them—a dead end.

“What do we do?” Megavolt muttered, looking around for an escape, not even bothering to flirt with any of the hundreds of light bulbs of different sizes, types, colors, and wattage that surrounded him.

Morgana suddenly an idea.

“How about we do an opposite of fade to black?” Morgana suggested.

“A what?” Megavolt demanded, staring at her in confusion.

“Stop right there!” Darkwing ordered, running towards them.

“No time to explain!” Morgana declared as she wrapped her hand around her necklace, her entire body beginning to glow red. Then, to Megavolt’s horror, she grabbed onto his arm, her eyes glowing red as she demanded, “Close your eyes, and turn on all the lights!”

Megavolt did as he was instructed, reaching out with his electricity, feeling each and every light turn on and burn at their brightest capacity.

*****

Darkwing didn’t stop running. It was perfect. They were just standing there. He had to catch them before Morgana did some sort of magic to escape.

He charged forward, pushing himself to be faster…

And, suddenly, there was light.

A lot of light.

*****

Launchpad panted slightly as he reached the first floor, looking around for any sign of Darkwing or Megavolt and Morgana.

Launchpad nearly jumped as suddenly the lights turned on overhead, with a click-click-click sound as each row blazed to life.

 _Huh, weird._ Launchpad thought. _Was that DW or was that Megavolt?_

Either way, he assumed he’d know soon enough. He heard something from the far corner of the store, and took off running in that direction.

“DW?” Launchpad called, looking around the entire appliance and home goods section. “DW, where are you?”

“Right here, LP,” Darkwing said as he stumbled forward, rubbing his eyes some. He raised his head, and blinked several times. Darkwing looked around, frustration clear on his face. “Glad you’re here. I have no idea which way they went. Find out how to get these lights on, LP, and let’s see if we can find some sort of clue.”

“Can do,” Launchpad said, already in motion. Then he stopped mid-step, his entire body running cold as he processed Darkwing’s order. Launchpad swallowed and turned back around to look at his partner, who was grumbling to himself with his hands on his hips, tapping a foot in agitation, his back to Launchpad. “Uh, DW? The lights _are_ on.”

Darkwing froze, standing straighter, his shoulders going back, arms falling to his sides limply.

“Oh,” Darkwing said, tone completely flat as he stared straight ahead. “I see.”

Launchpad frowned, a bad feeling tingling through him. Warily, slowly, sensing that he already knew the answer before he could voice the question, he asked, “What _do_ you see?

Darkwing turned his head towards where Launchpad’s voice was, and Launchpad could see the look of horror that was on his face that he suspected reflected his own.

“Nothing,” Darkwing said, voice still completely emotionless. “Absolutely nothing.”


	2. Chapter 2

Elise frowned as she put her otoscope back in her pocket. She had been an emergency room doctor for a very long time. She had seen a lot of strange and horrific things. Not much could shock her anymore.

And, yet, one Drake “Darkwing Duck” Mallard continually managed to surprise her with the situations he found himself in and ways he got himself injured.

“Well, the good news is, there is no injury to your eyes in general,” Elise said. “So I think the blindness temporary.”

“You _think_?” Darkwing repeated from where he sat on the edge of the exam table, his fingers wrapped tightly around the mattress, and his voice much calmer and deadpan than she was used to. The fact that Darkwing wasn’t being his usual over-dramatic self was incredibly disturbing.

“It’s a tentative diagnosis,” Elise told him reassuringly. “It’ll take a day or two to know for sure. Right now, your pupils are incredibly constricted. They may start to dilate to normal levels again. It’s also possible that, since Morgana and her magic were involved, there may be a magical way of restoring your sight.”

“They covered magical injuries in medical school?” Darkwing asked, a hint of emotion—sarcasm this time—creeping into his voice.

“Let’s just say, if you are a medical professional in Duckburg, you tend to get a crash course, on-the-job training when it comes to a strange assortment of magic-induced maladies,” Elise said, allowing a hint of laughter to tinge her voice. “But I’ve called in an expert to help me evaluate.”

There was a knock at the door and Elise called, “Enter!”. The door opened and Lena Sabrewing entered, wearing what she and her friends referred to as her Epic Magical Sorceress outfit, her eyes and hair temporarily shining a pale blue.

“What happened?” Lena asked as she strode in.

“Had a run-in with Morgana, Megavolt, and what felt like a thousand of Megavolt’s best friends,” Darkwing said dryly.

“Ugh,” Lena rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure which of those two I hate more. So what happened? Launchpad didn’t give many details. He just said for me to come and that it was urgent.” She squinted slightly. “You don’t look hurt.”

“Yeah, but I can’t look either,” Darkwing quipped, bitter snarkiness oozing from his voice.

 _Yep,_ Elise thought. _That’s not a great sign…_

“We think that Morgana enhanced Megavolt’s electricity, and he turned on a lot of bright lights on Darkwing,” Elise explained calmly. “Darkwing’s eyes aren’t injured, but I don’t want to rule out any magical injuries that I can’t readily find.”

Lena nodded and raised her hands, which started to glow along with her eyes. She raised her hands so that they were level with Darkwing’s eyes and stayed that way for a long moment, then she lowered her hands, blinking and the glow disappeared.

“Nope,” Lena said. “No magic.” She glanced over at Elise. “I, uh, don’t know if that’s good news or bad news.”

Darkwing’s shoulder slumped. Elise took a deep breath. Bad news. It was definitely bad news. She knew Darkwing would accept this better if it was magical, if all it took was a way to reverse it—even if it took a few days.

“Lena, why don’t you step back outside?” Elise said. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.” In a lower voice, she added, “Don’t say anything yet. I’ll break the news.”

Lena nodded and slipped out of the infirmary. Elise turned to Darkwing, who was quickly slipping into a full-on sulk. “It’s temporary,” She said again.

“You _think_ it’s temporary.” Darkwing spat.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Elise insisted. “One way or another, okay? Just take a few days and—”

“And what, Elise?” Darkwing demanded. “Rest? Wait? Well, three problems there. The first problem is that I can’t take a few days off—Fenton can’t take back over as a hero yet because he’s still healing from being kidnapped and _tortured_ and Gryo’s still in the process of rebuilding the Gizmoduck armor. Problems two and three are Morgana and Megavolt. They’re still running around, and we’re quickly losing their trail of tracing them back to Negaduck and figuring out where he’s hiding and what he’s planning. I can’t sit around, Elise. I’m not going to.”

“Drake,” Elise snapped. “Be reasonable. You can’t see, you can’t fight crime. Leave this one to the cops, okay?”

“I _can’t_ , because Grizzlikoff keeps screwing around when it comes to supervillains—especially when it comes to investigating through magical means. There’s only a handful of people I trust to do a good job investigating this and Grizzlikoff makes sure that none of them get assigned. I can’t let this opportunity go, Elise. People are going to get hurt and the city’s going to be in danger if I just let them get away.”

Elise took a deep breath. “Drake,” She said, this time her voice a bit kinder. “I get what you’re saying, but Megavolt and Morgana are probably long gone by now. There’s probably very little—if anything—to go on to figure out where they went. They would have done a good job covering their tracks knowing that you were after them. You found them once tonight. They’re going to retreat and hide before you can do it again.”

She hoped this last part would soothe his ego a bit—which, she knew, had taken the biggest brunt of tonight’s incident. Hopefully, convincing him that the power-crazy electrician and the sorceress who used to play one on TV were afraid of Darkwing finding them would be enough to convince him that he shouldn’t chase them down. At least, not tonight.

Instead, Darkwing looked more downtrodden than ever.

Just like his vision, she couldn’t fix this.

Elise placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a pat. “Look, I’m going to put an end to Launchpad and Goslayn’s worrying and give you a moment alone to collect yourself. Okay?”

“Fine,” Darkwing spat, laying back on the bed, placing his hands on his stomach, staring blankly up at the ceiling. “I’ll be here.”

Elise resisted the urge to sigh and stepped out of the infirmary, where Launchpad, Gosalyn, Lena, Violet, and Gandra were waiting.

Elise hadn’t expected this big of a crowd when she told Launchpad to call for Lena. She definitely had thought that she’d have some time before having to get Gosalyn involved. But, as it happened, the three girls were having a sleep-over at the Sabrewings house, Gandra in charge while Raymond and Kevin Sabrewing went out of town for Kevin—a literature professor at Duckburg University—to present at a conference.

“What’s wrong with Dad?” Gosalyn demanded, rushing up to Elise, Launchpad behind her.

Elise was a pro at delivering both good news and bad news. Still, it was always easier to deliver good news so she started with that.

“First and foremost, there are no injuries that I can detect through medical means, nor any through magical means—thank you, Lena,” Elise said, nodding at the teenage sorceress. “But the bad news is, whatever happened did affect Drake’s ability to see. At this point, the fact that there are no injuries points to the blindness being temporary.”

“But how long will he be blind?” Gosalyn asked, her eyes wide.

“I don’t know,” Elise admitted. “It could be a few hours, it could be a few days, it could be a few weeks.” Gosalyn’s shoulders slumped and Launchpad put his hands on her shoulders in a comforting manner. “I’m sorry, Gosalyn. I just don’t know”

Gosalyn put her head in her hands, fingers gripping her hair. “This is awful!” She declared as Launchpad knelt beside her and gave her a hug.

“I know it is,” Elise said, kneeling down in front of Gosalyn and Launchpad.

“But, hey, your dad’s tough!” Launchpad said with a comforting grin.

“A tough idiot sometimes, but tough nonetheless,” Elise said with a small shrug.

Launchpad nodded enthusiastically, Elise’s backhanded compliment directed at his boyfriend going over his head. “Right. Drake bounces back from injuries at a remarkable—”

“—if somewhat unnatural,” Elise interjected.

“—pace,” Launchpad finished as if he hadn’t heard her. “Like Elise said, he could be back to normal so fast, it'll be like it never happened.”

“Yeah, but what if he doesn’t recover this time?” Gosalyn demanded, frustration clear in the girl’s face. Like her father, anger seemed to be one of her immediate responses to bad news. “What if he’s blind forever?”

*****

Inside the infirmary, Darkwing continued to lay on the bed, listening to every word from outside the door. It added to his already existing anger to hear Gosalyn so upset.

“Well, if that’s the case, then we’ll figure it out,” Launchpad responded easily. Confidently.

“But if Dad’s blind, what will he _do_?” Gosalyn demanded, stressing the last word.

 _Yeah, what will you do?_ Darkwing asked himself.

“He’ll adjust,” Elise insisted. He could hear the silent ‘hopefully’ that she pinned into that sentence, unspoken but there nonetheless.

Could he adjust? Would he have no choice? What was the alternative, lay around in bed all day in a dark, unfamiliar world?

“Gandra,” Gosalyn said suddenly. “You’ve got robots in your eyes. Could those help my dad?”

“Sorry, Gos,” Gandra responded. “But my eye bots aren’t at a point in development yet where they can work without some form of already existing sight.”

Gosalyn’s disappointment was practically palpable, even with the door between them. She wasn’t alone.

“It could take some time, but your father would be able to do many things—if not everything—that he could do while sighted,” Violet added helpfully. “There have been a number of highly successful visually impaired people throughout history who have done phenomenal things. For example, Helen Kestrel, Stevie Warbler, Dodomyus the Blind—”

“Nobody was shooting at them, Vi!” Gosalyn shouted, her shout accompanied by the distinct sound of her stomping her foot. “My dad knows how to fight crime and that’s about it! What is he supposed to do if he can’t do that?”

Darkwing grimaced and pushed himself upright.

He would have preferred to take a real dagger to the gut than feel like he had at Gosalyn’s words.

What was he supposed to do, if he couldn’t fight crime? Gosalyn was right, it was the only thing he had ever found success with, the only thing he really knew how to do. He was a failure as an actor, he had half a college degree, his resume was a joke. Even if he learned to adapt to being blind—reading Braille, learning how to navigate the world again—what skills did he have that could lead to employment? No, not just employment, something worthwhile? Something meaningful? Something that gave him purpose and was fulfilling the same way being Darkwing Duck was?

Darkwing got to his feet, shakily. He swallowed and proceeded to walk towards the door, confidently, unwavering. If he fell, he’d get back up.

Because he was Darkwing Duck, and that was what Darkwing Duck does: he gets back up.

Darkwing slammed his hand against the panel for the door was, wincing as his palm collided with the wall. Obviously, he had overestimated that one…

Mumbling to himself, he found the panel and slapped that with just as much force and drama as the first time, standing in the doorway, hoping he had an audience as he declared,

“Elise, I thought about what you said, but I’ve made up my mind, and nothing you say is going to change it.

“I’m going after Morgana and Megavolt.”

*****

Elise’s jaw dropped, anger welling up in her.

_No, no you are going to not strangle him. Drake is your friend. So you’re going to talk sense into him._

“As your doctor, I’m going to tell you that’s not a wise decision,” Elise said calmly and evenly. “And as your friend, I’m going to tell you that you’re a dumbass who is going to get yourself killed, if not from your own stupidity than from my hands around your throat!”

 _Yes, Elise, that is exactly how you don’t strangle people and talk sense into them—you just_ threaten _to strangle them._

“Not listening to you,” Darkwing said. “Darkwing Duck is a man of his word, and if I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it!”

“You may not be listening to me, but you’re definitely not hearing yourself,” Elise said as Darkwing strode past her. Or tried to, his arms stretched out in front of him as he tried not to walk into things. “There’s no way you can go after a supervillain right now, let alone two.”

“Elise, I am a professional,” Darkwing said, turning to her but addressing the vase of flowers behind her. “Of course I can handle two supervillains. Heck, let’s get crazy and make it _three_! Being blind right now only levels the playing field! I am Darkwing Duck, the terror that flaps in the night! Villains don’t stand a chance against me!”

With that, he turned confidently on his heel…

And walked right into the wall, bouncing off it slightly as he grumbled, “Coulda sworn I had another couple inches there…”

Darkwing shook his head slightly and walked along the wall till he found the buttons for the elevator, pushing first the ‘down’ button then the ‘up’ button as he said, “LP, fire up the Thunderquack! We’re going patrolling!”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, DW,” Launchpad said, flashing Elise an alarmed look.

“Nonsense, it’s a great idea!” Darkwing insisted.

“Hey, you know what else is a great idea?” Gandra said suddenly, stepping towards the elevator and making a gesture for Launchpad to follow. “Going to Gearloose. He’s probably got some invention that will help you track down Megavolt and Morgana. I know he’s been working on a magic detector for McDuck, maybe he’ll let you test drive it.”

“Thank you, Gandra,” Darkwing said, bumping his shoulder against the side of the elevator as he entered, followed by Gandra and Launchpad. “At least _someone_ around here is trying to be helpful.”

*****

Gosalyn watched the elevator doors close, her stomach sinking like the elevator car. Beside her, Elise groaned and rubbed her forehead.

“He’s an idiot,” Elise griped. “An absolute and complete idiot.”

 _Yeah,_ Gosalyn thought sadly. _Dad’s an idiot, but I’m a bigger one._

“He heard what I said, didn’t he?” Gosalyn asked in a small voice, tears welling up in her eyes as she stared down at her sneakers, shame and frustration coursing through her. Why couldn’t she ever just keep her fat mouth shut? “About him only being good at fighting crime? So it’s my fault he’s going after them…”

“No,” Elise argued. Gosalyn felt a fingertip her beak up and she looked up at Elise’s face, stern and no-nonsense in a way that Gos often found comforting. For some weird reason. Maybe it was something that they taught you how to do with your face in medical school? “No, Gosalyn, it’s not your fault. Your dad is stubborn, and he was already talking about going after them before you even got here. I’m honestly surprised Launchpad managed to drag him here without too much trouble.” Elise frowned in thought, then said, “Come on, girls. I’ve got an idea.”

Gosalyn looked over at Violet and Lena, who both shrugged, but the three girls followed Elise to the elevator. Within moments, they were entering the lab and followed the sound of two voices. One was Gandra’s, but the other was male—and not Darkwing, Launchpad, or Dr. Gearloose. It was also a little more distant and tinny, echo-y almost.

Elise patted Gosalyn’s shoulder and said, “I’m going to go find your dad and Launchpad. I’ll join you girls in a moment.”

The three girls followed the voices until they found Gandra sitting on a lab table, her cellphone in her hand.

“—didn’t know Dr. Gearloose had finished the detector enough for a test drive,” Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera said, his voice coming from the speakerphone and sounding just as awake as the rest of them despite being the middle of the night.

“She’s talking to The Boyfriend,” Lena whispered conspiratorially, a slight smirk on her face.

“Of course she is,” Violet responded, the smallest of smirks curving up the corner of her mouth.

“Technically, he did. But then it had an incident with the microwave and a bag of popcorn,” Gandra explained to Fenton, giving the girls a small wave. “So not only did we get to experience Gearloose in a pissy mood, we got to have the smell of burnt popcorn to make it that much more of a living hell.”

“So what exactly happened that turned baby-sitting a simple sleep-over into a midnight magic detector test drive?” Fenton asked.

“This is actually not an uncommon occurrence in the sleep-overs our friend group participates in regularly,” Violet commented. “Tonight simply correctly proved our hypothesis that supernatural phenomenon will disrupt our festivities no matter how large or small the group in question is at the point of sleep-over initiation, and that location also does not matter.”

Gandra’s brow furrowed. “I’m starting to understand why you and Lena gave me such a weird look when my response to your dads asking me to stay with you tonight was ‘Sure, what could possibly go wrong?’.”

“Oof, you said that? Like, out loud?” Gosalyn said with a wince. She shook her head and clucked her tongue. “Rookie mistake there, Dee.”

“Hey, give her a break, she’s new to the family,” Lena said, hopping up onto the counter beside Gandra. “Hello, The Boyfriend. Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“Hello, primary source of supernatural sleep-over phenomenon,” Fenton responded. “My sleep schedule is a bit off kilter right now, to answer your question. Now, shouldn’t _you_ be asleep? Isn’t that what you do at sleep-overs?”

“It’s not even three in the morning yet, the night is still young.” Lena said with a shrug.

“Ugh, don’t tell that to the terror that flaps in the night,” Gosalyn groaned, resting her elbows on the countertop.

“Wait, hang on, is _Darkwing_ the one who needs the magic detector?” Fenton asked, excitement flooding his voice. “Does that mean he’s got a lead on Negaduck? Trying to get Morgana in his sights?”

“That is a poor choice of an idiom at this point in time,” Violet said.

There was a beat of silence, then, “What happened?”

“Dad can’t see, but Elise thinks it’s temporary,” Gosalyn explained glumly. “Which won’t do him any good when he gets himself killed trying to go after Megavolt and Morgana on his own.”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence, o ye of little faith.”

Gosalyn winced at the sarcastic voice from behind her, turning to see him march over, Elise at his side and Launchpad half a step behind him, holding onto a corner of Darkwing’s cape so gently Gosalyn doubted that her dad noticed it at all. No, he was too fired up, from finding and losing two of his biggest enemies, from the blow to his ego in the form of both the not-injury and Gosalyn’s words, from his clear desire to be anywhere but here and preferably kicking bad guy butt.

Needless to say, Gyro Gearloose and Manny made sure to keep several steps behind.

“Dad, I didn’t—” Gosalyn started.

“Save it, I’ve got enough people trying to waste the precious, valuable time that I should be using to track down two of the city’s biggest villains before they decide to take tonight’s crime spree a step further than petty theft.” Darkwing snapped, folding his arms over his chest. Even from a distance, Gosalyn could feel rage and irritation radiating off of her father. He was practically vibrating with it. “So could you get on with whatever this big announcement of yours is, Elise?”

Elise shot Darkwing an annoyed glance and she rolled her eyes and huffed before saying, “You, Darkwing, want to go after Morgana and Megavolt, literally sight unseen. I, as your doctor and friend, think that is a horrible idea.”

“Yes, we know this already,” Darkwing groused. “And, once again, I’m telling you that I don’t care what you think or what you say. You can’t stop me.”

“No, I cannot,” Elise agreed. “However, I’ve decided that I’m not going to try and stop you.”

“You’re not?” Darkwing said, his brow furrowing with confusion, his anger dropping momentarily.

“You’re not?” Gosalyn demanded, her eyes wide. If Elise wasn’t going to stop him, no one could…

“I’m not,” Elise said again. Suddenly, she smiled, somewhat tightly, somewhat smugly, as she said, “I’m not going to stop you, on one condition.”

“Which is?” Darkwing asked, wariness in his voice.

Gosalyn clenched her fists, rising onto her toes. Okay. This was it. This was Elise bringing out the big guns. This was Elise going to trick her dad in some way. This was going to put an end to this ‘going after supervillains while blind’ nonsense once and for all!

Gosalyn’s face fell and she stared at Elise in disbelief as the doctor said,

“You can go after Megavolt and Morgana—as long as I go, too.”


	3. Chapter 3

“What!” Gosalyn exclaimed, looking at Elise with wide eyes. How could she be such a traitor? She was supposed to fix this!

“What?” Darkwing said, his brow furrowing.

“That’s my deal,” Elise said, folding her arms over her chest. “Take it or leave it. Take it, and you can go after as many supervillains to your heart’s content.”

“And if I leave it?” Darkwng asked suspiciously.

Elise’s eyes flashed dangerously and she whipped something out of the breast pocket of her scrub top and Gosalyn finally saw what Elise had been holding as her secret weapon.

“If you leave it,” Elise said. “I have here in my hand a syringe full of anesthesia—enough to knock you out and be in your bloodstream faster than you can say ‘Let’s get dangerous’. And don’t even bother try to fight me off. I’ve wrestled sedatives into bigger, meaner, angrier, and more stubborn patients than you. I am the most terrifying adversary you can ever face. I advise you consider your choices very wisely.”

There was a moment of long, agonizing silence, broken up only Violet whispering to no one in particular, “I want to be her when I grow up.”

Gosalyn, however, frowned at Elise. Why hadn’t she just knocked her dad out in the first place if that was an option? The best option, she might add.

Darkwing huffed and said, “Fine. I’ll take your deal. Now can we get going before the trail gets any colder?”

Elise tucked the syringe back into her coat, nodding as she said, “That sounds like an excellent idea.” Gosalyn hissed Elise’s name, and when the doctor turned to her, Gosalyn scrunched up her face and made a gesture to Elise to come towards her. Elise said, “Gosalyn and I will meet you and Launchpad at the Thunderquack in a few minutes, okay?”

Darkwing nodded, still looking frustrated by the entire situation he was in, and stomped off towards the elevator—with some minimal gentle redirections from Launchpad.

Once they were gone, Gosalyn threw her arms wide and yelled, “What the heck, Elise! Why did you make that deal with Dad? You know that this is a bad idea, and he knows it! Dad’s being completely unreasonable!”

“Precisely,” Elise said. “Your father is being an unreasonable man. However, I am a reasonable woman. But because I am a reasonable woman, I know how to outsmart unreasonable men.”

“How is that outsmarting him?” Gosalyn demanded. “You had that shot in your pocket the entire time and could have stopped him the second he started running his mouth about going after bad guys!”

Elise sighed and pulled the syringe out again. “Actually, this is empty. My threat, however, is not. Your dad weighs a hundred pounds soaking wet. I can take him and knock him out easily.”

“Uh, why would you need to bother with a prop in a conversation with a guy who is currently blind?” Lena asked.

“The theatrics weren’t unnecessary. I had to sell it,” Elise said with a shrug.

“I mean, I couldn’t see it either, but I was definitely intimidated,” Fenton piped in from Gandra’s phone. “So, you know, it works.”

“Thank you, Fenton,” Elise said, a smug smile on her face.

“If you could stop him one way or another, why did you just send him to the Thunderquack to track down supervillains?” Gosalyn demanded. “He can’t see, he can’t fight, he can’t—”

“Rest until he knows he’s done all he can,” Elise finished. “I get that. We’ll go and fly around in the Thunderquack, likely find nothing, and then we’ll end the search and go off to bed and see what tomorrow brings. Gos, I’m humoring your dad, okay? He’s going to be fine. His stubbornness is incurable, but not fatal. At least, not if I’ve got anything to say about it.”

Gosalyn scowled at her, eyes blazing with fury. Elise sighed again and said, “Look, Gos, Drake’s distracted and not on his game. He knows this. He didn’t even make a bit of protest when I said that you were going to be joining us, did he?”

Gosalyn’s glare lost some of its intensity. “No, he didn’t. Usually, if I go along, it’s with lots of rules and conditions and after a lot of protesting.”

“Precisely,” Elise said. “And now you’ve got a chance to see for yourself that everything is going to be fine. Now, let’s not keep your dad waiting, or he’s just going to get even more obnoxious.”

Gosalyn huffed. “I don’t like this. But alright.” She glanced over at her friends and gave them a wave, “See you later. Wish us luck.”

“Good luck!” Violet and Lena called behind Gosalyn and Elise as they left the lab.

“They’re gonna need it,” Lena mumbled under her breath once the doors were closed.

“Okay, Fenton,” Gandra said, glancing down at her phone. “I can practically hear the wheels turning in your head.”

“Hmm, I thought I smelled something burning,” Gyro commented wryly.

“I’m just thinking,” Fenton said. “The problem here lies in that Drake can’t see. But, what if he didn’t _need_ to be able to see? I think I’ve got a solution that leads to a win-win for everyone! Here’s what I’ve got in mind…”

*****

In the past three hours since they ditched Dorkwing, Megavolt and Morgana had hit up three different stores and left with quite a bounty, ranging from more clothes to supplies for their campsite to various other items that “sparked joy”, as Morgana put it. Megavolt wasn’t sure if that phrase was supposed to be a jab at him or not.

“Hey, Morgana,” Megavolt said as they left the final store, Morgana admiring the new candles she had found. “You know, this is a lot of stuff to get back to camp with just your magic.”

“What are you getting at?” Morgana asked, not even looking at him as she took the top off a candle and inhaled the scent.

“What I’m getting at,” Megavolt said, shifting the bags on his arms slightly. “Is that we could use an alternate mode of transportation. You know. In case we can’t use your bibbity-boppity-boo route.”

“Like, what? A car?”

“Exactly like a car.”

“A car is impractical,” Morgana said, replacing the candle into her bag. “Stopping for gas will just leave more chances to get caught.”

“Ever heard of an electric car? Doesn’t need gas at all. I’ve got all the fuel we’ll ever need”

Morgana turned to him, and seemed to consider it. Then, she smiled. “Perhaps a test drive is in order.”

Megavolt grinned. Suddenly, all of the trouble of that night had been worth it.

*****

Launchpad glanced out of the corner of his eye as Darkwing tapped his fingers against the dashboard of the Thunderquack in irritation. They had been flying around for over two hours now, with no sign of either supervillain and dawn was quickly approaching.

Actually, there wasn’t much sign of anything other than a sleeping city.

“Are your nightly patrols usually this…” Elise trailed off.

“Anticlimactic?” Gosalyn provided.

“Slow?” Launchpad offered.

“Yes.” Elise said.

“No,” Darkwing snapped.

“Guess it’s a slow night for crime,” Gosalyn commented from the seat beside Elise. “Ready to call it a night, Dad?”

“No,” Darkwing snapped again, this time smacking his hand on the dashboard. “You know what? Forget Megavolt, forget Morgana. Let’s just find some robbery, or jaywalker, or, or, I don’t know, a politician! I’m not picky! Any crook will do!”

“Well, gee, Dad, it’s not like we can just manifest a crime wave!” Gosalyn said, throwing her hands in the air before folding her arms over her chest. “Face it, all the bad guys have taken the night off. Maybe you should take the hint.”

“Ha! That’s what they want me to think! That it’s safe to hang up the cape for the night, knowing that as soon as I do, they will be able to get away with whatever their devious hearts’ desire! No sirree. Not happening on my watch!”

“How about we turn on the police scanner?” Launchpad suggested, already reaching for the dial.

“Wonderful idea, Launchpad,” Darkwing said, sounding genuinely pleased for the first time that night.

“Yeah, wonderful idea, Launchpad,” Gosalyn grumbled. Launchpad tried to ignore the feeling of her glare boring into his back and fiddled with the dial, only getting static.

“Huh,” Launchpad said. “That’s weird. Never gotten static on the scanner before.”

“Maybe we’re too high up?” Elise suggested. “Or out of range?”

“Nope,” Launchpad said, putting both hands on the steering again, just letting the sound of static fill the cabin.

Suddenly, though, sound came through, a voice reporting about a call regarding a noise complaint near the university, responded to with a sighing voice listing an address, which the first voice—dispatch, Launchpad now realized—confirmed with a bit of wry humor in his voice. Launchpad wasn’t surprised. He and Darkwing had heard noise complaint calls for that house at least twice a week since they started doing nightly patrols. Just barely off of Duckburg University’s campus, that house had been long occupied by a fraternity and known for the all-night, every-night partying and loud music.

“Wait, wait,” Darkwing said suddenly, waving his hands slightly.

“What? You’re going to satisfy your need to fight crime by going to bust up a frat house party?” Elise asked dryly. “I see enough patients in the ER coming from that house without having to add you to that number, Darkwing.”

“No, not that,” Darkwing said, waving his hand in her general direction in a dismissive way. “Launchpad, turn us around.”

“Uh, okay?” Launchpad said, turning the Thunderquack around and retracing their path. Suddenly, the static was back.

Darkwing grinned. “Do you know what that means?”

“We found a dead-zone?” Launchpad asked.

“Even better. We found Megavolt.”

“How do you figure?” Elise asked, leaning forward.

“Megavolt’s latest favorite trick is electromagnetism,” Darkwing explained, pressing his hands to the window. “He could generate enough power to jam a signal. Where are we?”

“Looks like the manufacturing district,” Launchpad said, peering out the window. “There’s at least a dozen factories here, which one would he go to?”

Darkwing snapped his fingers. “I know exactly where he is. Launchpad, take us to the Waddle factory.”

*****

Elise gripped the bars on the railing on the walkway that overlooked the floor of the Waddle factory.

“Not a lot of machinery for a factory belonging to one of the world’s biggest tech giants,” She commented.

“Mark Beaks has factories outside of the country for manufacturing in large quantities,” Darkwing explained, also looking over the floor, though it didn’t do him much good. “But he keeps this one to build the prototypes for his newest and greatest when the lab in his building isn’t big enough. And Beaks is announcing something later this week. That will be Megavolt’s target. The question is, what is it?”

“I think I can answer that,” Gosalyn commented as she stood on her toes to look over the rail.

If Elise hadn’t been watching the floor, she would never have seen the car, bobbing and weaving around the factory like it was a race course. There was no rev of the engine, no squeal of tires, no sound at all.

“An electric car,” Elise muttered. “Genius. Not Beaks’ genius, of course, but genius he’ll take credit for nonetheless.”

“And Megavolt’s newest liberation cause,” Darkwing said. “Though I’m willing to bet that this cause is a little less noble than the plight of the lightbulbs.”

Launchpad approached quietly and gestured with a thumb over his shoulder behind him, saying, “Found the security guards. They were out cold, but looks more like Morgana’s work than Megavolt’s.” He looked over the rails and saw the car, which was now parked with Morgana getting out of the driver’s seat, Megavolt getting out of the passenger side and resting his arms on the top, the two seemingly in conversation. “So they’ve got magic _and_ a car to escape with now?”

“They’re not going to escape,” Darkwing declared, putting his hands on his hips, a smirk forming on his face. “Time to put an end to this magical menace and her electro-maniac minion.”

“Okay, one, can I please be around when you call Megavolt a minion, because he’ll totally blow a fuse and I want to record it for all its glory,” Gosalyn said, holding up a finger. She raised a second finger as she added, “But two, are you crazy? Earth to Darkwing Duck, you can’t see! How the heck are you supposed to stop them now that you’ve found them?”

“Simple,” Darkwing said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out two small objects. “I might not be able to see, but Launchpad can!” Darkwing put one of the small objects in his ear, and held out his hand for Launchpad to take the other. “Earpieces made by Gyro, like the ones we used on F.O.W.L’s island. Using these, Launchpad can direct me and tell me which direction to go.”

“This is the weirdest couples’ trust exercise I have ever had the misfortune to witness,” Elise said dryly as Launchpad took the other earpiece and inserted it.

“It’s not the weirdest couples’ anything they’ve done by a long shot, believe me,” Gosalyn groused. “But it’s definitely the stupidest one.”

“I hope this works,” Launchpad said, voice and face clearly uneasy.

“Of course it will work!” Darkwing declared confidently as he started to stroll down the walkway…

And right into a support beam.

“That doesn’t count, we weren’t live yet,” Darkwing grumbled to no one in particular, dusting off his jacket before proceeding, this time going around the support beam.

“This isn’t going to work,” Gosalyn mumbled.

Elise knew that. She could tell that Launchpad knew that. Heck, she was even sure Darkwing knew that.

But she also knew that once Darkwing Duck got an idea in his head—no matter how idiotic—he saw the idea through. Somedays, Elise could admit she admired that trait about her friend.

Today was not one of those days.

*****

“So?” Megavolt prompted. “Whatdya think?”

“I definitely see the appeal,” Morgana said, her eyes dancing, her voice practically purring as she ran her hand over the hood of the car. “I’ve ridden in limos before, but this is definitely the fanciest, most expensive ride I’ve ever gone on.” She grinned at Megavolt and said with a wink, “Think you can haggle a bit and get a good price for it?”

Megavolt smirked and pretended to examine his nails—covered, of course, by gloves. “I think I can do some sweet-talking so that we leave here without a dent in the ol’ piggy bank.”

“You think this is a flashy ride? Well, you should see the lights on the police cruiser you’ll be riding in next.”

Megavolt and Morgana whirled around, looking up to see a familiar caped figure standing on the railing.

“Darkwing Duck!” Morgana gasped.

“Didn’t we ditch this loser once already tonight?” Megavolt griped.

*****

Darkwing leapt from the railing, doing a somersault in the air and landing on his feet in a crouched position.

“End of the road, evildoers!” Darkwing declared, putting his fists on his hips as he stood upright.

It would have been a lot more impressive and terrifying, though, if he had actually been facing the villains.

“DW, turn around!” Launchpad said through the earpiece.

Darkwing spun on his heel. “Hope you enjoyed the scenic route on the highway to jail!”

“Hey, Morgs,” Megavolt said, resting his hand on the car again. “Forgot to show you this neat little trick. Turns out, this model is also self-driving!”

With that, sparks ran out from his palm and into the car, which suddenly began speeding, right at Darkwing.

*****

Gosalyn couldn’t look away, though she winced as she watched the car rushed towards Darkwing—who couldn’t see or hear the car. What he could hear, however, was:

“Jump!” Launchpad said quickly.

And Darkwing jumped, the car sailing underneath him.

The car’s tires squealed as it suddenly spun around, leaving marks on the floor, speeding back towards Darkwing.

“Left!” Launchpad ordered, panic in his voice.

Spinning slightly—because of course Darkwing was going to take every opportunity to showboat—Darkwing went left, avoiding the car once again.

“Uh oh,” Megavolt said, his own eyes widening as the car was coming right at him and Morgana.

“I can’t believe this is actually working,” Gosalyn said, amazed.

*****

_I can’t believe this is actually working!_ Darkwing thought triumphantly

“Where’s Megavolt?” Darkwing asked Launchpad.

“Straight ahead,” Launchpad responded. “DW, what are you—”

Darkwing didn’t listen, charging straight forward, fists ready to knock out the supervillain.

He was so close, he could feel it, the air literally being electrified the closer he got to Megavolt.

Then with a grimace and a grunt, Darkwing stumbled backwards, the sound of static loudly filling his head.

*****

“Aah!” Launchpad exclaimed, grabbing the earpiece and shaking his head.

“What happened?” Gosalyn asked.

“Whole bunch of static,” Launchpad said, rubbing his ear.

Elise smacked her forehead in realization. “He got too close to Megavolt, it disrupted the signal!”

Somehow, in all of this, Darkwing had forgotten one very important thing: what had tipped him off to the location of Megavolt in the first place…

“Come on!” Elise said, rushing for the metal staircase that would lead down to the floor.

*****

Darkwing started to panic.

He had to get rid of the sound, had to be able to hear something—anything—to know what was going on around him.

_Get away from Megavolt,_ Darkwing thought. _He’s jamming my signal._

So he kept moving backwards, but nothing was getting clearer. Desperate, he pulled the earpiece out, his ears still ringing.

Slightly dizzy, in an area totally unfamiliar to him, Darkwing had no clear idea of his surroundings.

That is, until his heel caught on something, and he landed on… something.

Something that started moving.

*****

Megavolt spun around at hearing Darkwing and watched him back away from Megavolt then quickly pull something out of his ear.

_What was that about?_ He wondered at the strange behavior.

Then he realized that Darkwing had been close, very close, and he hadn’t even noticed, too busy focusing on not getting run over by the car. Because Megavolt had figured out how to get the car moving and how to get the wheels to turn, no problem there.

What he hadn’t figured out was the brakes.

Wait. Where _was_ the car?

There was the sound of a loud crash behind him and he whirled around, his heart dropping and grief coursing through him as he saw the brand new electric car, smashed to pieces on the wall, one lone tire rolling away from the scene of the crash.

Of course, that was just Megavolt’s typical luck. The car was destroyed before he had even had a chance to drive it himself.

“No!” Megavolt cried out, his hands on his head. He snarled and looked over at Darkwing, snapping, “Look what you did!”

“I don’t think it’s fair to blame Darkwing for this one, Sparky,” Morgana snapped, folding her arms over her chest. She, too, had to jump out of the way of the speeding vehicle, her skirt covered in dust and her hair in a bit of a disarray. One look at her face told him that he would be hearing about this later.

But Darkwing wasn’t listening, wasn’t paying attention at all. He had fallen onto the conveyer belt.

This gave Megavolt an idea. Quickly, he zapped the machine, which came to life with a clank and a whir.

Darkwing’s eyes widened as the belt began to move beneath him.

“Come on, let’s go,” Morgana said to Megavolt.

“You’re not going anywhere, villains!”

They turned to see Darkwing’s sidekick—Pilot—running towards them, along with a female swan wearing pale green scrubs and a little girl with red hair. Darkwing’s back up, most likely.

“Actually, I think it’s going to be you who isn’t going anywhere!” Megavolt said, directing three long arms of the machines—each with pincer-like clamps—towards the three, each one scooping up a member of Darkwing’s team.

“Let’s split before the cops show up,” Megavolt called to Morgana, running for the exit, just past where Darkwing’s team were trapped in the air.

Morgana ran after Megavolt, but paused when something caught her eye. She quickly stooped and picked it up before following Megavolt out of the building, grabbing hold of his arm and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

*****

Elise struggled slightly, pushing her hands against the metal clamp around her waist to no avail. She looked around and then she saw something: a motor, connected to all of these machines.

She had an idea.

Elise reached into the pocket of her top, her fingers quickly finding the empty syringe she had threatened Darkwing with earlier that evening. She clasped her fist around it, and reared back her arm, aiming.

Elise took a deep breath and let loose.

Elise grinned as her aim was true, the syringe landing in the machinery. There was the sound of grinding and clanging. With a puff of smoke, the machines stopped with a wheeze. The clamps released, dropping Elise, Gosalyn, and Launchpad.

“Elise, that was awesome!” Gosalyn exclaimed as she pushed herself to her feet, grinning.

“Yeah, nice aim!” Launchpad said.

“I played fast-pitch softball in high school and my first year of undergrad,” Elise said, brushing dirt off her hands on her pants. “I was a pitcher. Anyways, where the heck has Darkwing gotten to?”

*****

Darkwing had no idea where he was anymore.

But he did know that he was under attack.

He couldn’t predict a pattern, barely able to keep upright as he was jerked to the side, jabbed at, nearly hit with… something. Something hard and metal from the few times he did get hit.

Then things got worse.

Then the floor beneath him started spinning, going faster and faster, something spraying at him. He clenched his eyes shut, even though he still couldn’t see, he didn’t know what this was…

Then, finally, the spinning stopped and he felt his feet leave the ground, landing in an undignified heap on the concrete floor with a groan.

“Dad!”

Dizzy and still unable to see anything but unending, frustrating black, Darkwing lifted his head slightly so that his chin rested on the ground.

“What happened?” He asked, words somewhat slurred as he felt himself be pulled to his feet. “Where’s Megavolt? Morgana?”

“They’re gone, DW,” Launchpad answered. “And you’re, uh…”

“You look like a ghost,” Gosalyn said flatly.

“Yes, you’re a lovely shade of Waddle off-white, but frankly that is not your color,” Elise said dryly, but a tinge of concern in her voice. “Do you feel sick at all? Do you think you inhaled any of the paint?”

Darkwing groaned. “No, but I’m going to be dead anyways once Minnie finds out what happened to this costume.”

“Who’s Minnie?” Elise asked, confusion in her voice.

“Hey, you know who we don’t want to involve in this game of twenty questions? The cops,” Gosalyn said. “So how about we get out of here, before we have to do too much explaining.”

“Excellent idea, Gosalyn,” Darkwing said. “We need to go—”

But his words were cut off by three voices declaring in unison: “Home.”

Darkwing blinked. “But—”

“Nope,” Gosalyn said, pushing on the small of Darkwing’s back. “No buts, mister. You’re going home, like you should have in the first place.”

“You don’t tell me what to do,” Darkwing argued, fully aware that he sounded childish—meaning their roles were reversed. “I am—”

“—going home,” Launchpad interrupted, his voice a bit sharp. Darkwing scowled but internally winced. Launchpad’s voice had that edge very rarely, and when it happened, Darkwing knew things were serious. Especially since Launchpad tended to speak sharply when it related to Darkwing and his health and safety. Launchpad’s next words, however, were spoken softly. “Let’s just call it a night, okay, DW?”

Darkwing huffed. “Fine. We’re calling it a night.”

*****

Megavolt landed in a heap on the rooftop, blinking up at the dark sky several times. He pushed himself upright, looking around. “What happened?” He asked. He frowned, crawling over to the edge of the building. “Hey, that’s the Waddle factory over there! Morgs, you only got us half a block away!”

“I know that, dim-bulb,” Morgana snapped irritably from behind him.

Megavolt pushed himself to his feet, not daring to approach the angry sorceress. “What happened? Did something disrupt your spell or something?”

“It’s none of your concern,” Morgana said sharply, turning her back to him.

“It kind of is, Morgana, considering Darkwing Duck is still close by and we’re not home free!” Megavolt said. “What went wrong? Did he do something to your magic?”

Morgana’s shoulders slumped. “I’m going to get us home,” She whispered. “Just… Just give me a moment.”

Megavolt huffed and he stomped over to the edge. “I’ll keep watch for Dorkwing.”

And watch he did, his arms folded over his chest, fuming. And something caught his eye. Movement from in front of the Waddle factory.

Megavolt tilted his head. Was that… Yes, that was Darkwing Duck. And his partner, Pilot. The strange woman and little girl that accompanied them. The little girl and the woman seemed to be leading Darkwing somewhere, redirecting his path at times back towards that ridiculous flying monstrosity of Darkwing’s.

Why were they leading Darkwing around like he was…

Megavolt straightened, mentally going back over the battle.

The way Darkwing had landed facing the opposite direction of him and Morgana. How he suddenly seemed less coordinated. The way he had stumbled away from Megavolt. And, now that he thought about it, Darkwing just kind of stared straight ahead. Not looking at him or Morgana or anything. Even with the speeding car coming at him.

Was Darkwing Duck _blind_?

Blind… and completely vulnerable. And yet, he had come after him and Morgana anyways…

They could easily destroy him.

“Morgana—” Megavolt started to say, but was cut off by the Sorceress’ hand clamping down on his shoulder. In a puff of red smoke, they disappeared.

*****

After dropping Elise off at her place, Launchpad herded the two Mallards into their own house. Drake—still in his paint-ruined costume—was silently fuming. Gosalyn was also simmering with anger. But both were also exhausted, which wasn’t helping either.

“Gos, go to bed,” Launchpad said. “Drake, you’re hitting the shower, see if we can get this paint off of you.”

Both grumbled, but Gosalyn stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.

Launchpad watched and waited for a moment as Drake stood at the bottom of the stairs, his hand on the bannister. At this point, Launchpad wasn’t sure if he should offer to help him or not. Then, slowly, without bluster, Drake went up the stairs. Launchpad was relieved; he wouldn’t have to fight Drake over this one. He had a feeling he’d have enough trouble getting Drake bathed and tucked into bed.

Sure enough, while Launchpad got the shower running and Drake practically ripped off the various pieces that made up his costume, throwing them into a corner of the bathroom, he said, “I’ve got it from here. You go on to bed.”

“I’m staying,” Launchpad said. “Get you cleaned up.”

Drake huffed. “I’m not a child, Launchpad. I am perfectly capable of bathing myself.”

“I know you are. But I’m staying. ‘Sides, how are you going to know if you got the paint off or not?”

Drake growled but didn’t argue, and reluctantly allowed Launchpad to help him into the shower.

Miraculously, the paint came off fairly easily with some scrubbing and when the water running off Drake finally stopped being cloudy and became clear, Launchpad turned off the shower. He then grabbed a towel and wrapped Drake in it. Then, before he could argue or complain, Launchpad scooped Drake up and carried him into the bedroom.

Launchpad glanced down at the sopping wet blind duck in his arms. The fact that Drake didn’t offer any sort of protest was concerning. Because now, Drake was sulking. Not the kind of sulking he was doing earlier this evening, when he wasn’t getting his way and he was angry, so angry about the circumstances he was in. Now he was just… sad. Weary.

That was what made Launchpad sit on the edge of the bed, and just hold Drake to him for a long time. Drake tucked his head under Launchpad’s chin, burrowing into his chest.

Neither said a word. Nothing needed to be said.

After all, Drake knew that Launchpad was there. That was the important part. Didn’t need words for that.

But, eventually, Drake sighed and put his hand on Launchpad’s chest. “Not that I want this to end, really, but I’m cold and now you’re all wet. Can we do more of this when we’re both a bit drier?”

Launchpad smiled and pressed a kiss to Drake’s forehead. “Of course. And, you know, it’ll be a lot warmer under the blankets, too.”

Sure enough, they were soon snuggled under the blankets, Drake burying his face in Launchpad’s chest.

_Things will be better tomorrow,_ Launchpad thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Or, at least, he hoped they would be.

*****

Jim Starling tapped off the ash of his cigarette into the tray before bringing the cigarette back to his beak, staring at Megavolt as he took a long drag. Then, with a puff of acrid smelling smoke, he said a single word: “No.”

Megavolt scowled. “But, Jim, now is our chance! Our best chance! Maybe our only chance of taking down Darkwing Duck once and for all!”

“Look, Sparky, I don’t know what you think you saw tonight, but it’s not enough for me to risk the plan,” Jim said. “I highly doubt that Darkwing is actually blind like you think he is.”

“But, Jim—!”

Jim held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it.

Megavolt scowled and stormed out of the trailer, slamming the door behind him.

Jim groaned and took another drag of the cigarette. He should have left that whiner in the Duckburg’s jail…

_The plan, Jim, remember the plan,_ He told himself.

“So, Morgs,” Jim said, filling the silence Megavolt had left behind. “Other than the little hiccups with a certain caped crusader, how was your shopping trip?”

“Jim,” Morgana said softly, looking down at her necklace that rested in her lap, her finger swirling over the gemstone. “I think the Blood Ruby is starting to lose its power again.”

Jim frowned and shifted on the couch to better look at Morgana. He had known this would happen—they both had—but neither of them had realized just how soon it would happen. “It has been a while since we powered it with Darkwing’s blood. Over a month now.” Morgana nodded. “So, whatdaya wanna do, toots? You agree with Sparky out there, and think we should go after Darkwing while he’s supposedly down?”

“I think Megavolt is delusional, seeing what he wants to see. We both know he’s been chomping at the bit to have a reason—any reason—to go fight Darkwing Duck and Gizmoduck,” Morgana said, glancing up at Jim. “I, however, don’t see any reason to not stick to our plan. But if I can’t use magic, then we have a problem.”

Jim nodded. He couldn’t disagree there. They were too reliant on her magic around here. Not to mention, she was still learning what she could do with magic.

“So,” Jim said, stubbing out his cigarette. “Which one of those two yahoos would you like me to juice up your necklace with? Won’t lie, one’s more on my short list than the other…”

Morgana smiled slightly. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve got a better idea.”


	4. Chapter 4

Megavolt poked his head out of his tent—finally free of the unwanted roommate—and looked around the campsite in the early dawn light. The coast was clear. Carefully, he slipped out of the tent, removed his pack of gear, and zipped it shut. Quietly, he crept towards the woods.

“Looks like Sparky’s going somewhere. He’s such a naughty boy, isn’t he, Mr. Banana Brain, sneaking out without telling Jim where he’s going?”

Megavolt nearly leapt a foot in the air, turning to glare at Jackson Downey—no, sorry, _Quackerjack_ , ugh—who emerged from behind a tree. The clown/disgraced toy inventor had way too readily accepted the weird persona of Quackerjack that Jim had assigned him, down to the stupid stuffed banana toy that he took to carrying around everywhere and talking to. And, worse, talking for.

As if reading Megavolt’s thoughts as to how much he hated that stupid doll, Quackerjack raised the toy a bit higher to his mouth and changed his voice to a higher pitch so that Mr. Banana Brain could ‘say’, “Oh, yes, he’s such a bad, bad boy, sneaking out.”

“I’m not sneaking out,” Megavolt snapped. “Jim and Morgana are neither our parents nor our wardens. I’m a grown man. I can do what I want. And what I want to do right now is go for a walk, and get the hell out of here for a while.”

Quackerjack stared at him, lowering the doll. “Hmm, yes. A walk. Where you’ll be gone for a while. Duckburg is a pretty far hike from here, isn’t it?” Quackerjack shifted the toy in his arms, cradling it like a baby. He tilted his head slightly at Megavolt. “You really think Darkwing is blind, huh?”

“Jim may not believe it, but I know what I saw,” Megavolt said. “If nothing else, I’m going to do more investigating. Get more proof. Show Jim that this is exactly the opportunity we need to get our revenge.”

Quackerjack blinked once, then shrugged. “I’m not going to cover for you to Jim and Morgana, but I’m not going to tattle, either. Hope it’s worth it.”

Megavolt shifted his bag of gear on his back and nodded, turning to walk away.

Of course it would be worth it. He was very much looking forward to coming back to rub his victory in Jim’s smug face.

*****

Launchpad awoke suddenly to the sound of a cry of pain, bolting upright and searching around the room for Drake. Where was he? What had happened? Drake couldn’t see, and he would be half-asleep, unable to see, and a natural danger-magnet—it was just a recipe for disaster.

However, relief surged through Launchpad as he saw that Drake was on the bed beside him. That is, until he remembered that there was a reason he woke up. Drake was curled up into a ball on his side facing away from Launchpad, his hands over his eyes.

“Drake?” Launchpad said, putting his hand on Drake’s shoulder. “Hey, Drake, you okay? What happened?”

“Too bright,” Drake groaned. “It’s too bright…”

“You can see?”

Drake shook his head. “No. Still nothing. But it’s bright…”

Launchpad got out of the bed and went over to pull the curtains closed. He had forgotten all about the black-out curtains, usually shut during the day while Drake slept off a night as Darkwing Duck. It didn’t make the room completely dark, but blocked out enough sunlight.

“Any better?” Launchpad asked, coming around to Drake’s side.

Drake let out a small grunt, moving his hands and squinting in the dark. “Well, it’s not worse.”

Launchpad put his hand on Drake’s head and gave him a quick kiss before saying, “I’m going to call Elise, okay?”

“Perfect. My day’s just getting better and better,” Drake grumbled.

Launchpad ignored this and swiped his phone off the nightstand, hitting Elise’s speed-dial number. It rang twice and then,

“What has he done now and does he know the dangers of pissing me off before I’ve finished my first cup of coffee?”

“Morning, Elise,” Launchpad said, choosing to ignore her threats. “Drake just woke up, he still can’t see but he says that the light hurts his eyes.”

“Oh, yeah?” Elise said, and Launchpad heard a slurping sound. “That’s good.”

“Uh… The coffee, or…?” Launchpad asked, trailing off.

“Both. Drake’s eyes being able to tell when there’s light is promising for him getting his sight back. Look, I’m almost done with this cup of coffee, and then I’ll be right over.”

“Great. I’ll have the coffee pot here waiting for your arrival.”

“Launchpad, you beautiful angel without wings, this is why you’re my favorite man in the whole universe. I’ll be there soon. Oh, and, maybe you should find something to cover Drake’s eyes, keep the light out for now.”

“Can do,” Launchpad said. After he heard Elise hang up, Launchpad slid his phone in his pocket and went to Drake’s dresser, finding Drake’s sunglasses lying on top and brought them over to the bed. “Here, put these on.”

Drake did so, then Launchpad opened the curtains. Drake winced, closing his eyes and removing the sunglasses. “They’re not dark enough,” Drake said.

“Okay,” Launchpad said, thinking as he closed the curtains again. “How do you feel about a blindfold? We can use a towel or something.”

“I’ll give it a shot,” Drake murmured.

Launchpad nodded. “Be right back.”

He went down to the kitchen and started the coffee first, knowing a full pot was going to be very necessary for getting Elise and Drake through the morning. He was rummaging through the towel drawer when he heard the doorbell ring.

“Huh, Elise got here fast,” Launchpad said to himself as he went to the door, opening it, saying, “Wasn’t expecting you to—” He cut himself off and his brow furrowed as he came face-to-face with a wide-eyed Binkie Muddlefoot, who was not only Drake’s next door neighbor but also his younger sister.

“Yes,” Binkie said, her voice shaky and her face full of horror. “I can tell I was not expected.”

Launchpad wasn’t quite sure what had freaked her out. Was it that she had been expecting Drake or Gosalyn? Then he realized something. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Well, at least he was wearing pants…

“Uh, sorry, we’re just getting the day started around here,” Launchpad said, reaching behind him to scratch the back of his head sheepishly.

“I can tell,” Binkie said, her voice having gone from shaky to tight.

“Good morning, Mr. Launchpad,” a small voice said from behind Binkie.

“Morning, Honk-man,” Launchpad said, glancing down at Drake’s favorite nephew, Honker, a shy but highly intelligent five year old, one hand clutched to his mother’s skirt. “What’s up, little dude?”

“We came over to see Uncle Drakey,” Honker explained.

“Yes, where is my brother?” Binkie demanded.

“He’s still in bed,” Launchpad explained, jerking a thumb over his shoulder to point upstairs. “I actually need to get back up to him. I just came down to get something to use as a blindfold. I shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

The line of Binkie’s beak got thinner and her face was once again full of horror, her hands covering Honker’s ears, the small boy tilting his head back to look at his mother in confusion.

Launchpad really didn’t understand this woman.

At that point, Gosalyn came down the stairs, yawning. “Morning, Launchpad. Is Dad up yet?”

“Awake, yes. Out of bed, no.” Launchpad answered.

“Good,” Gosalyn declared, her face and voice grumpy beyond her usual I-just-woke-up grumpiness. “Maybe you should tie him to the bed and keep him there all day.”

Launchpad smiled and let out a small snort of laughter. “Now there’s a good idea. I might just take you up on it.”

Binkie let out a small, strangled scream, her mouth pressed closed.

Seriously, what was wrong with this woman?

“We having a party or what?”

Launchpad looked past Binkie and saw Elise, who strode into the Mallard house past Binkie and Honker, who both looked up at her, Honker in fascination and Binkie in confusion. This time, though, Launchpad couldn’t blame Binkie’s reaction. After all, Elise was quite a sight to behold this morning.

Elise clearly needed that second cup—and a third and fourth cup—of coffee, and she was dressed casually, in jeans and a t-shirt with another long-sleeved green-and-blue plaid flannel shirt wrapped around her waist.

“‘Women want me, fish fear me’,” Binkie said, her voice completely devoid of emotion, though horror was clearly on her face as she read aloud the slogan on Elise’s t-shirt. “What does that even _mean_?”

“Exactly what it says on the tin,” Elise said, pointing at her shirt, moving her hand across her chest to follow the path of the words.

“Uh, ma’am?” Honker said, tugging on the sleeve of the flannel shirt that Elise had tied around her waist. “That’s not a tin. That’s a shirt.”

“Well, by golly, you’re right,” Elise said, reaching down to pinch her t-shirt, pulling it out some and looking down at it. “I wouldn’t have made such a silly mistake if I had already had my second cup of coffee. Speaking of which, Launchpad, where’s my coffee?”

“I’m sorry, who are you, exactly?” Binkie asked.

“Doctor Elise Schwanz, and frankly I’ll care more about figuring out who you are after I’ve got more caffeine in me,” Elise said, wandering into the kitchen without looking behind her, heading for the cabinet where the mugs were kept.

“Just what is going on in this house?” Binkie demanded in a shrill voice.

“None of your business, that’s what.”

Launchpad turned to look and see Drake at the top of the stairs, one hand clasped to the bannister, his eyes squinting from the light. He lifted his foot to come down the stairs—

“Drake, wait!” Launchpad said.

—and Drake proceeded to miss the top stair, slipping and bouncing down the stairs with a series of grunts and ‘oofs’ and one distinct ‘why?’ before he landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs with a groan.

Everyone—save for Elise—winced. She just simply took a long sip of her coffee and stared dead ahead. Her night had ended too late, her day had started too early, and she had a distinct feeling that it would be a long time before she got a chance to sleep again.

“Uncle Drakey, are you alright?” Honker asked worriedly as Gosalyn and Launchpad hauled Drake to his feet.

“I’m perfectly fine, Honker,” Drake said, dusting himself off and looking at where he thought his nephew was.

Honker frowned. “Um, Uncle Drakey? I’m over here…”

“Of course you are.” Drake said, turning slightly towards Honker’s voice. “I knew that.”

Binkie frowned. “Drake, are you… can you not _see_?”

“Now whatever would give you that impression, sister dear?”

“Oh, I don’t know, perhaps the fact that you are _talking to the wall_?”

“You, the wall, what’s the difference, really?”

“I know the feeling,” Elise commented as she refilled her mug.

“Drake, what are you doing out of bed?” Launchpad asked. “The light—”

“I heard unwanted voices in my house, and frankly, LP, you’re too nice to tell my sister to get lost.” Drake said. “Also, I smell coffee. Where is it? No, don’t answer that, I can find it myself.”

With that, he somehow managed to find his way to the kitchen, relying heavily on the walls and fridge before he got to the cabinets, opening and feeling around for the mugs.

“What happened?” Binkie demanded, following Drake about the kitchen, her fingers twitching like she wanted to help him, or stop him, or do something, but she kept her hands to herself.

“Minor workplace accident. Ah ha!” Drake exclaimed as he finally got his hand on a mug. “It’s temporary.”

“ _Maybe_ temporary,” Elise said from where she had pulled up a seat at the kitchen table.

“Definitely temporary,” Drake argued, hissing as his fingers brushed the hot coffee pot. He shook his hand out before trying again to locate the handle. “I can already tell when there’s light and when there’s not.”

“And what if it’s not temporary?” Binkie asked, watching as Drake poured coffee onto his foot, yelped slightly, then eventually managed to get the coffee into the cup. “Scrooge McDuck may be an eccentric billionaire, but even he won’t keep on a blind night-shift security officer.”

Launchpad really wished she hadn’t said that… True, if Drake was blind completely, he doubted Mr. McD was going to allow Drake to continue as Darkwing. At least, he wouldn’t pay for it. The stingy Scotsman wouldn’t leave Drake high and dry, but Launchpad couldn’t imagine Scrooge supporting Drake’s decision to don the cape if the risk to life and limb was too high. It also wasn’t helping that, despite Drake’s attempts to continue as if he were sighted at the moment, it was clear to Launchpad by Drake’s cornered-animal attitude that the light was still hurting his eyes, making him lash out.

So in response to Binkie’s statement, Drake slammed the empty coffee pot on the counter and snapped, “Well, it’s none of your business, now is it? Go home, Binkie, and let me handle my own problems.”

Binkie’s eyes flashed and Launchpad saw an unfortunate resemblance in the siblings. Namely, they both could be incredibly vicious and petty when they were angry. “If that’s how you want it, fine. But don’t come crying to me when you can’t pay your bills and feed your daughter.” She grabbed her son by the hand and said, “Come on, Honker, we’re leaving. Let your uncle wallow for a while before he comes to what senses he has left.”

“If I get a call from Mom, so help me, Binkie, I will make you suffer ten-fold,” Drake called after her.

Honker, being dragged out of the kitchen by his mother, gave Launchpad and Gosalyn a wave and called out “It was nice to meet you, Dr. Schwanz!” before he disappeared, the front door opening and slamming shut.

The slamming of the door echoed for a long moment and Drake slowly sank to the floor, his back against the cabinets, his mug of coffee in his hands. He closed his eyes and said, “Hey, Launchpad? Is that blindfold still an option?”

“Yeah,” Launchpad said, going over to Drake’s side, folding the towel over in his hands a few times as he walked. “Yeah, DW, it is. Hang on.”

“So the day’s off to a crappy start,” Gosalyn said from where she sat across from Elise at the breakfast table, her phone in her hands. “How about we go get doughnuts to take to the lab?”

“Why?” Launchpad asked as he tied the towel securely behind Drake’s head. “What’s at the lab?”

“I dunno,” Gosalyn said, looking up from her phone. “But apparently Fenton has something for Dad.”

*****

“Aw yeah, breakfast!” Lena exclaimed when she saw Launchpad, Drake, Elise, and Gosalyn exit the elevator and enter the lab.

“Have you been here ever since we left last night?” Launchpad asked as Gosalyn and Elise set the three large boxes of doughnuts on a table that had already had an occupant seated at it.

“Essentially,” Rosa Cabrera answered, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.

“Sleep is for the weak!” Lena exclaimed, pouring herself a cup of coffee and joining Rosa at the table.

“Should you be drinking that?” Elise asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Hey, I’m way better than Vi with this stuff,” Lena said, pointing across the room at her sister, who sat on the floor, surrounded by stacks of books, rocking back and forth slightly, a book in her hands, flipping the pages rapidly.

“Uh, Vi? You good?” Gosalyn asked hesitantly, tilting her head and her brow furrowing with concern for her friend.

Violet looked up, her pupils big, and she whispered, “My reading speed has accelerated with the added stimulation of the caffeine content in coffee. My life has been forever altered and for the better.”

“Are you even retaining any of what you’re reading?” Gosalyn asked.

With that, Violet froze mid-turn of the page, staring straight ahead. She blinked a few times. “I… I don’t know.” She whispered, sounding horrified.

Gosaly nodded. “Cool.” Then she looked over her shoulder at her dad, whom Launchpad was trying to settle into a seat. “Dad, can I have some coffee, too?”

“Absolutely not,” Drake said sharply. “And don’t even give me the ‘But Violet and Lena’s dads let them have coffee’ spiel. Not in the mood for it.”

“Actually, their dads don’t and I’d prefer that they never learn about this,” Gandra said as she came over, setting down two steaming mugs onto the table, setting one at the seat beside Rosa, then taking the chair next to that. “Fenton, Manny, and Gearloose will be over in a sec. They’re putting the finishing touches on it.”

“And what, exactly, is _it_?” Drake asked.

“The Sixth-Sense Sensor System!” Fenton exclaimed as he, Gyro, and Manny joined the group gathered around the table. “Super for Superior Sentry Skills!”

Drake arched an eyebrow at his friend, though it was half-obscured by the towel wrapped around his eyes. “You’ve been spending way too much time around Mr. McDuck with that amount of alliteration.”

“Even Mr. McD stops after the third or fourth word,” Launchpad said, nodding his head. “So what does this doohickey do?”

“Food first, then demonstration,” Fenton said, taking the seat between his mother and his girlfriend.

“Fenton, you’re literally the only one who hasn’t had any sort of caffeine in the last few hours, how are you not crashed out in a corner somewhere?” Lena asked.

“Inventor’s high,” Fenton answered.

Rosa scoffed and sipped her coffee. “More like you’ve gotten your days and nights mixed up, like a hatchling.”

“A week and a half off duty, and you forgot that I’m supposed to be the nocturnal one?” Drake said, a teasing tone in his voice, which—for Launchpad, Gosalyn, and Elise—was refreshing.

“Trust me, I’m trying to not be nocturnal,” Fenton said. “Today, I’m going to stay up until after the sun sets and do a complete sleep-schedule reset.”

“You said that yesterday,” Rosa said. “And you fell asleep in the middle of the afternoon.”

“Better than the day before,” Gandra quipped. “When he didn’t even make it to lunch.”

“I give my full permission and blessing to ease up on the ‘no caffeine’ rule early,” Elise said. “Just start small. Stick to green tea and decaf coffee for a few days. That’ll get you through the rest of the day. And I’ll sign off early on you being back in the lab if you get your sleep straightened out.”

Fenton’s eyes lit up. “Deal!”

“You know,” Lena said, grabbing a doughnut. “Maybe Duckburg needs another superhero. It seems like it’d come in handy right about now. I mean, no offense Drake and Fenton, but neither of you are exactly in the best conditions to be saving the city right about now.”

“Okay, valid point, but come on, what are odds that Dad would be temporarily blinded while Fenton’s on medical leave?” Gosalyn asked.

“Given the risk factors related to the nature of their jobs, very likely,” Violet said, powdered sugar smeared on her beak, which she dabbed off with a napkin. “And this incident has now improved the odds of a similar event happening again.”

“Third hero,” Lena said in a slightly sing-song voice, waving her doughnut about.

Drake huffed. “We don’t _need_ a third hero around here. Darkwing Duck and Gizmoduck always can get the job done, and done right. No need to add a third wheel to mess that up. Right, Fenton?”

“Hmm?” Fenton said, blinking slightly, having been lost in thought. “I don’t know. There’s lots of pros and cons, risks and benefits. I mean, we _could_ look into it. Even if it’s just as a trial run.”

Gyro scoffed. “Yeah, right, and where exactly are we going to find someone else in this city who is virtually indestructible with an unnaturally high pain tolerance, brave yet stupid enough to run head first into danger, abnormally good at fighting, and possesses a saint-like drive towards pursuing justice? It’s not like the perfect person destined for becoming a superhero is just going to waltz in here.”

At that moment, the elevator doors dinged open, and Donald Duck strode into the lab, a smile on his face and a large envelope tucked under his arm.

“Good morning!” Donald said brightly. “Gyro, Uncle Scrooge asked me to bring this by for you.”

“Great, thanks,” Gyro said, accepting the envelope, opening it immediately to pull out the papers, thumbing through them.

“Want a doughnut, Donald?” Launchpad offered.

“Sure, thanks!” Donald said, plucking out a jam filled doughnut from the box. “Well, I’ve got to run. See you later!”

As Donald headed back to the elevator, Gosalyn said, “I dunno. Maybe we could do one of those reality shows? ‘Who Wants to be a Superhero’, maybe?”

“We can talk about it later,” Fenton said, pushing back from the table. “Ready to do a demo, Drake?”

“Yeah, Fenton, buddy, you’re going to have to give me a little more info about this… thing you’ve made before I get anywhere near it,” Drake said. “Call me crazy, but I did get blinded within the last twelve hours and am not keen on adding dismemberment into the mix. Nor, for that matter, blood loss, broken bones, the loss of any other senses, or… well, you get the gist.”

“For that matter, there’s no way it can turn evil, can it?” Launchpad asked.

“No, no, no,” Fenton said. “Nothing like that. Hang on, be right back.”

Fenton returned a moment later, carrying a tray and looking rather pleased with himself.

“I am proud to present, the Sixth-Sense Sensor System!” Fenton said, setting the tray on the table. “Drake, give me your hands.”

“Uh, okay?” Drake said hesitantly, stretching his hands out. Fenton took two bracelet-like devices off the tray and slipped them onto Drake’s wrists. Then Fenton took a panel of metal that had a loop of cording at the top, and put it over Drake’s head so that the panel rested against his chest.

“This is just the one-point-oh version, so it’s a bit bulky at this point in time, but we’re working to slim it down so that’s practically invisible,” Fenton explained, taking a few steps back. “Basically, how this works is that the panel here uses a form of echolocation, vibrations, and infrared scanners to detect movement and objects. The information is then transferred to the bracelets, which use neurotransmitters to send messages to your brain about where things are around you. You still can’t see, but with this you have a way better understanding of your surroundings.”

“Have you been watching _Space Trek_ again?” Drake asked. “Because this sounds like something straight out a sci-fi show.”

“Yes, I have, but that’s beside the point,” Fenton said dismissively, going over to grab something off a nearby desk. “It’s not sci-fi. It’s the future!”

“I’m just not sure—” Drake started to say, but was interrupted when Fenton shouted,

“Catch!”

Fenton suddenly threw a ball at Drake and, to everyone’s amazement, he raised his hand and caught the ball. Drake looked stunned, and Fenton looked pleased.

“Welcome to the future, Helmsman Mallard,” Fenton declared.

“Keen gear!” Gosalyn said, rising to her feet, her eyes wide. “That was amazing!”

“Okay, I’m impressed,” Drake admitted.

“Come on, we’ve got some tests set up for you to try out,” Gandra said.

The breakfast table was quickly abandoned, leaving only Rosa and Elise behind.

“You’re not interested in watching them test that new toy?” Rosa asked Elise teasingly.

“Actually, I was hoping to talk with you in private for a few moments,” Elise admitted. “Predominately, I need a favor.”

“For you? Anything. Just name it.”

“Could you… make some discreet inquiries about the crime scene investigation at the Waddle factory?” Elise asked, shifting uncomfortably. “Particularly, a piece of evidence I’d rather not be made public knowledge? Or remain in police custody for very long.”

Rosa arched an eyebrow. “Sounds intriguing.”

Elise sighed. “Not really. I can’t find my hospital ID badge. I’ve searched my car, the Thunderquack, the infirmary… It was in my pocket ever since I got to the Bin last night, and I didn’t think to put it in my purse or anything after that. The factory is the only other place I can think of that I haven’t looked yet. And I’d really, really, really like to not have to explain to my boss at the hospital that I lost my ID badge. Especially since it’s got a key in it that allows me into nearly every part of the building.”

“I understand completely,” Rosa said, nodding, pulling out her phone. “Fortunately, Melissa, Andy, and Charles are the detectives on this case. I’ll text Melissa and ask her if it showed up.”

“Thanks,” Elise said. She glanced over to where the invention was being tested, Fenton adjusting a dial on the panel on Drake’s chest. In a low voice, she asked, “How’s Fenton doing?”

Rosa sighed and set her phone aside. “His back still hurts if he moves too fast, or stays in one position for too long. But no headaches, no shortness of breath, no dizzy spells or other causes for concern. His appetite has increased. He’s bored, of course. Getting him to sit still is hard, but that’s always been how he is.” Rosa was quiet for a moment, then she said, “As far as I know, he’s only had nightmares twice. Once while he was still on the pain medication, and one a few days ago. Both times, he woke up easily and seemed a bit shaken, but not enough that he wasn’t able to go back to sleep. He’s not… I don’t think he’s ready to talk about it yet. And I'm not going to push him to. Not with what I know and what I saw. I just want him to know that he can talk, when he's ready.”

Elise nodded. “It might take a while for him to be ready. And he’s got a good support system when he is. But right now, his health is recovering and he seems to be in good spirits. He seems to be thriving after a few hours in the lab, which is why I’m okay with letting him get back to that a few days early.”

Rosa scoffed a laugh. “Yes, thank you for that, because I love him dearly, but a bored Fenton is never a good thing. On one hand, I understand, because neither Fenton nor I do well with inactivity. But on the other hand, he’s driving me nuts. And it definitely doesn’t help that Raymond has placed a bug in my son’s ear and turned him into a traitor and now he’s joined the captain in the nagging department.”

“Raymond?” Elise repeated, naming one of Violet and Lena’s fathers, who also happened to be the commanding officer of Rosa's unit. “What’s he nagging you about?”

“Taking the sergeant’s test to get a promotion,” Rosa explained with a dismissive wave of her hand. “No matter how many times I’ve explained to both of them that I’m perfectly happy as a detective. I have no desire to climb any higher up the chain of command. It’s bad enough I get harassed about it at work, now I have to hear about how I’d ‘make such a good leader’, and am ‘long past due for a promotion’, and ‘could pass the test in my sleep’, and how I ‘should just go for it’ at home. At least I got my revenge on Raymond for turning Fenton against me.”

“Oh yeah? How’s that?”

Rosa smirked. “Let’s just say, Gandra may have had some influence in agreeing to let Lena and Violet have coffee.”

Elise shook her head. “You are a dangerous woman, Rosa Cabrera.”

“Good of you to—” Rosa’s sentence was cut off by a high-pitched static sound coming from every single cellphone in the room.

“What the heck is that?” Lena asked, covering her ears.

“A sound worse than nails on a chalkboard,” Gyro responded, poking at his own phone with a grimace. Suddenly, the noise stopped from his phone.

“How’d you get it to stop?” Gosalyn asked loudly, her hands also over her ears.

“Powered it off,” Gyro responded. Everyone rushed to do the same, everyone except Drake, who held his phone in his hand. Now that the noise was coming from only one device, it wasn’t as bad. Still obnoxious, but less intense now that it wasn’t echoing throughout the room.

“What’s making the phones do that?” Elise asked as she and Rosa went over to join the rest of the group. “And why?”

“Hear that?” Drake asked.

“Hear what?” Manny asked in a series of clops.

“A pattern,” Drake responded.

They all gathered around, listening closely.

“It’s not Morse code, that’s for sure,” Fenton commented. “It’s got to be related to the frequency.”

Suddenly, Violet started to hum, her humming matching the static. “The pattern is a song.” She said. “The static follows a tune.”

“But what song is that?” Gosalyn asked.

“Three blind mice,” Drake answered, grimacing down at his phone. “Three blind mice, see how they run, see how they run.” He lifted his face and said, “Only one person could manage this: Megavolt.”

“Then he knows you’re blind!” Gosalyn exclaimed, her eyes wide. “He’s taunting you with the song!”

“Well, there’s a new definition to the phrase ‘insult to injury’,” Gandra said, folding her arms over her chest.

Suddenly, the static stopped and was replaced with the pinging sound of a new text message.

“What does it say?” Drake asked, passing the phone off to Launchpad.

“‘The night can only defeat me at first light’,” Launchpad read aloud, his brow furrowed. “From a blocked, unknown number.”

“Looks like everyone got that text,” Rosa said, everyone else having turned their phones back on to see the same message from the blocked number. “He’s got to be at a cellphone tower, used that to send this message to everyone with a Duckburg area code.”

“The night must refer to Darkwing Duck,” Fenton said. “But why fight at sunrise?”

“It’s not a time, it’s a place,” Gyro said, tapping on his phone. “Guess just what happens to be on display at the Duckburg Museum right now?” He turned his phone around.

“An exhibit on the life of Thomas Elepaio?” Gosalyn said, her brow furrowing as she read from Gyro’s phone screen.

“He did invent the lightbulb,” Violet said.

“And lightbulbs are Megavolt’s favorite thing in the world,” Drake said, pounding his fist into the palm of his other hand. “This is perfect! We have a clear psychological advantage!”

“You mean, because we’re sane, and he’s not?” Launchpad asked.

“That’s debatable,” Elise mumbled.

“Because he’s expecting to have the upper hand,” Drake continued, ignoring Elise, and twirled a finger in the air. “He won’t expect that—yes, even though I can’t see—I’ll still be able to outwit him on the field of battle! He won’t know what hit him!”

“Sounds like a trap if I’ve ever heard one,” Elise commented.

“It is a trap, but we can out trap the trap,” Drake insisted. “Trap-ception, if you will.”

Elise glared up at the ceiling and shook her head with a huge sigh. “Same rules apply as they did last night. I’m going with, or no dice.”

“Of course. How else am I going to prove to you that last night was only a minor hiccup in my grand plan for capturing Megavolt?” Drake asked, the cocky swagger in his voice telling everyone that Darkwing Duck—or, more accurately, Darkwing Duck’s ego—was back and bigger than ever.

“Can’t wait,” Elise said dryly.

There was not enough coffee in the world for this…

*****

“You don’t have to stick so close,” Darkwing Duck said as he, Elise, Gosalyn, and Launchpad entered the Duckburg Museum through the back entrance. “This’ll be quick and easy. Like stealing candy from a baby.”

“Right, sure,” Elise said dryly, sticking her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “Nothing could possibly go wrong.”

“Precisely,” Darkwing said, walking through the shipping and receiving room, expertly weaving around the boxes and crates. No one was going to say it, but Darkwing was probably navigating the room better blind, with cloth wrapped around his eyes, and in the dark than he would have if he were sighted and in broad daylight. “Megavolt won’t suspect a thing, and we’ll have him in lock-up and singing like a canary about Negaduck’s whereabouts by midnight.”

Elise exchanged a glance with Launchpad and Gosalyn before they followed Darkwing out into the museum proper.

“Do you think this is a good idea?” Elise asked Launchpad in a low voice.

“I dunno,” Launchpad admitted. “Last night, he did okay when he was given directions. And Fenton’s doohickey passed all the tests, and he’s already gotten comfortable with it.”

“But?” Elise prompted.

“But it’s not like we could stop him if we tried,” Launchpad said with a shrug. “He’d find a way. He’d be here with or without any gadgets and gizmos. At least this way, he’s got a fair chance.”

“Whoa,” Gosalyn said suddenly, stopping, tilting her head up to look at ceiling of the atrium. “That’s new.”

“What is it?” Darkwing asked, looking around.

“Is that… a shark?” Elise said, her brow furrowing as she looked up at the large fiberglass sculpture hanging from the ceiling. “Wearing a parka?”

Yeah, she most definitely had not had enough coffee today…

“It’s a Sharka,” Launchpad said.

“A… what?” Elise asked, watching in confusion as Launchpad saluted the Sharka.

“In memoriam of the unsung hero of the Moonlander Invasion: the Sharka.” Gosalyn read aloud from a nearby plaque. “Presented by Glomgold Industries.”

“Let me guess,” Darkwing said dryly. “Glomgold’s name is bigger than Sharka’s.”

“Of course it is, how else is the IRS supposed to know who gets the tax write-off?” Gosalyn said, also dryly. She then pointed across the atrium. “There’s the hall for special exhibits.”

From the dark hall across from them, there was the sound of breaking glass.

“And it sounds like Megavolt beat us here,” Elise commented.

“Perfect!” Darkwing said, rubbing his hands together gleefully. “Now I’ve got him on theft charges and property destruction in addition to breaking and entering! Let’s go nab this lightbulb loving lunatic once and for all…”

*****

Breaking into the Duckburg Museum was all too easy. Just a few snips of the wires on the security system, a little zap of the cameras, and he was in. Now he wandered through the exhibit on Thomas Elepaio, taking his time, reading some displays and glancing at the recreations of the inventor’s greatest creations. However, Megavolt knew exactly what he was after, and found it with ease.

Sitting in the center of the room, in a place of honor, covered in a glass case, was the very first lightbulb.

Megavolt grinned as he pulled out the glass cutter, effortlessly cutting into the case. He tossed it aside, where it crashed and shattered. But he didn’t care. He only had eyes for the treasure within.

“Come to papa,” Megavolt murmured, reaching his hands out to carefully lift the lightbulb…

“I am the terror that flaps in the night…”

Megavolt froze, his fingers mere inches away from his prize, looking around the darkened exhibit hall.

“I am the midnight power failure that shuts off the alarm clock of evil.”

Megavolt was too surprised by the fact that Dorkwing had actually showed up to roll his eyes at the superhero’s lame metaphor, especially as a cloud of smoke appeared.

“I AM DARKWING DUCK!” The caped hero proclaimed as he appeared across from Megavolt. “Step away from the lightbulb, Megavolt! She’s so far out of your league, you’re not even playing the same sport.”

Megavolt’s hands crackled with electricity. “At least I’m not playing Blind Man’s Bluff. Batter up, Dorkwing, and prepare to strike out!”

With that, he hit a phonograph machine, the needle reaching out to grab the records beside it, hurling them towards Darkwing.

Megavolt watched in dismay as Darkwing—unable to see and clearly blindfolded—dodged the records that were soaring towards him. Then he snatched one out of mid-air and threw it like a discus in Megavolt’s direction. Megavolt let out a yip of surprise and dropped to the floor, covering his head with his hands, barely being missed by the record.

“But I thought you were blind!” He exclaimed, unable to comprehend what was happening.

“Yes, and this blind man just called _your_ bluff!” Darkwing declared, one fist on his hip while the other jabbed a thumb towards his chest.

Megavolt snarled and snatched the lightbulb, fleeing towards the exit, heading for the atrium.

Darkwing Duck chased after him.

*****

“Now!” Launchpad called to Elise and Gosalyn, all three of them tugging on the trip wire they were holding onto on either side of the exhibit entryway.

Sure enough, Megavolt went flying as his ankles caught on the rope, the lightbulb scattering away on the floor.

Darkwing Duck easily leapt over the rope, thanks to his handy-dandy Sixth-Sense Sensor System, and put his hands on his hips overlooking Megavolt.

“End of the powerline, Sparky!” Darkwing said.

Megavolt fumed, electricity crackling all around him. “How many times do I have to tell you?” He growled through gritted teeth as he reached for the lightbulb. “Don’t. Call. Me. SPARKY!”

Suddenly, all around them, everything electric began to go haywire. The inventions, the video and audio displays of the exhibit, the lights, the fire alarm system, the elevators, the PA system, the doors. Things in the glass cases began to rattle, there was the sound of glass breaking, and the whole building began to shake from the intensity of the electrical currents, surging through the powerlines in the walls and floors.

*****

Darkwing struggled to keep upright and steady, impossible with the floors shaking. It was sending the Sixth-Sense Sensor System haywire, unable to focus on anything as everything was moving too fast, vibrating and swaying. It was like watching a TV channel plagued with static. He could tell where things were, but it wasn’t clear.

But he could hear Megavolt running. He had to block the supervillain from escaping.

Darkwing Duck had an idea.

He knew for certain where two things were. One of those things was the doors.

And the other was the shark sculpture hanging from the ceiling.

He pulled out his gas gun and thumbed the setting to grappling hook mode, took aim, and fired, hearing the clicking and clanking of the hook wrapping around one of the thick metal wires that attached the Sharka to the ceiling. Darkwing retracted the hook just enough to send him into motion.

What he hadn’t known about?

The cracks in the ceiling where the metal wires were installed.

*****

Everything happened at once.

Darkwing landed in front of the doors, right in Megavolt’s path, his hand outstretched in a ‘stop’ motion.

Megavolt skidded to a stop, eyes wide, lightbulb clutched to his chest.

Everything stopped shaking.

Darkwing could ‘see’ clearly through the Sixth-Sense Sensor System, could tell exactly where Megavolt was. And, beyond the electricity fiend, where Launchpad, Gosalyn, and Elise stood, racing over to surround Megavolt.

And there was the sound of crackling—though this time, it was most definitely not electricity.

To Darkwing’s horror, he quickly learned exactly what the origin of the sound.

The Sharka was coming down, and coming down fast.

Right where Gosalyn, Launchpad, and Elise were standing.

*****

Launchpad was a professional crasher. He could crash anything.

And he was not going to let a fiberglass parka-wearing shark the size of a small tractor-trailer crash on him and his friends.

He barely thought, and managed to grab Gosalyn by the hood of her jacket and Elise by the arm, pulling all three of them out of the way, forcing them to run away as the Sharka came crashing down on the floor with a resounding BOOM!

He didn’t quite remember pulling Gosalyn to him as they dove away from the explosion, though he did remember hearing her scream.

“Everyone okay?” Launchpad asked as the dust settled looking back and forth between Gosalyn and Elise, who were both covered in dirt and getting to their feet.

“Whose bright idea,” Elise yelled, gesturing wildly at the sad remains of the Sharka, fiberglass dust and parka stuffing raining down like the world’s most pathetic snow storm. “Was it to put _bombs_ in a fiberglass shark sculpture designed for installation in a public space?”

“Elise, do you really have to ask that question?” Gosalyn asked as she brushed off her pants, wincing at the tear in the fabric at her knee, which was bloody. “That’s just the kind of stupidity that only Flintheart Glomgold could come up with.”

Launchpad’s heart skipped a beat when he saw that Gosalyn’s knee wasn’t the only place she was bleeding from. He almost missed it, in the dark and with her red hair, but blood was dripping down the side of her face from a cut along her hairline, though she seemed largely unaware of it.

“Gosalyn! Launchpad! Elise!”

Launchpad turned to see Darkwing running over. His eyes may have been still obscured, but the horror and panic was clear on his face and in his voice.

“Over here, DW,” Launchpad called, then he looked around. There was no sign of Megavolt, he must have taken off, taking advantage of the crash and explosion.

Darkwing slid across the floor on his knees and Gosalyn let out a small yelp as Darkwing grabbed her, holding her tight.

“Are you okay?” Darkwing asked frantically, releasing Gosalyn briefly, only to reach up and take hold of her face in his hands, petting her face frantically.

“Ugh, Dad, we’re fine, chill!” Gosalyn grunted, trying to push her father’s hands away, rolling her eyes.

But Darkwing froze when his fingers found the trail of blood on Gosalyn’s face. He didn’t need the Sixth-Sense Sensor to tell him what the wet, sticky substance on his daughter’s face was.

“You’re bleeding,” He whispered.

“I am?” Gosalyn said, her brow furrowing in surprise, reaching up to find the source of the injury, wincing at the touch, then glancing at her blood-covered fingers in disgust before wiping her fingers on her pants. Lifting her chin in a defiant manner and with a shrug, she said, “It’s not that bad.”

“Don’t touch it,” Elise said, unwrapping her flannel shirt from around her waist, finding a clean spot and pressing it to Gosalyn’s forehead. “It looks shallow, but head wounds bleed a lot. It shouldn’t need stitches, but once we get into better light, I’ll be able to tell for sure.” She looked around, frowning. “Where’s Megavolt?”

“Gone,” Darkwing mumbled. He put his head in his hands “Megavolt’s gone, Gosalyn’s hurt, we’ve destroyed a significant portion of the museum, lost an incredibly valuable piece of history, and, oh yeah, I almost got you three _killed_. All because of my stupid pride and not listening to you when you told me, begged me, not to go after Megavolt while blind. Well, you were right, and I’m sorry that it took me and my ego so long to realize I’ve been acting like a fool.”

“Darkwing—” Launchpad started to say, but was cut off when Darkwing stood up, taking off his hat and throwing it aside as he turned away from them, snapping,

“Stick to Drake. There is no more Darkwing Duck. I quit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elise's outfit for this chapter is based off of art of Elise by @thegenz2005 on Tumblr, found here: https://beefboyrights.tumblr.com/post/624114980551360512/dr-schwanz-ready-to-call-out-your


	5. Chapter 5

Elise woke up before her alarm the next morning. She was fairly sure that the last time that happened, she was a little kid on Christmas morning. Still, she laid in bed, staring at the ceiling until the alarm started blaring. She turned it off—not even bothering to hit snooze—and got up.

Disturbingly, she didn’t want coffee, but she made herself a cup anyways. Out of habit, out of feeling a need to do something with her hands that didn’t occupy too much of her mind. Her mind was busy.

Elise had slept soundly enough for someone who had survived a near-death experience via parka-wearing-shark sculpture. That wasn’t what had haunted her, though.

It was Drake, and how distraught he had sounded. How he had quit being Darkwing so emphatically, without a second thought. Or, perhaps, more thought than she had assumed in the moment. Elise had known him long enough to know that Drake Mallard loved three things more than anything else in the whole wide world: his daughter, his boyfriend, and his alter-ego of Darkwing Duck.

Elise sipped her coffee and stared out the kitchen window at the cloudy skies. It reflected her mood.

If Drake had spoken so certainly in that moment, about something he loved so much, it meant he had given it a lot of thought. Likely ever since that moment when he sat in the infirmary with her, neither of them sure if this blindness was temporary or not, he had been thinking about quitting. He had been well aware that it was an option, and possibly one that he didn’t get to choose.

Elise’s beak twisted and she dumped the coffee down the sink, the brew tasting wrong in her mouth.

If Drake had been thinking about quitting Darkwing Duck, it also meant that everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours had been him fighting against those thoughts. Fighting against the intrusive voices in his own head—not to mention the real voices in the form of his daughter, his sister, and Elise herself, everyone plaguing him with doubts about his future. Trying to find a way to continue to do what he loved, something he was good at, something worthwhile and made a difference in the world with.

Being Darkwing Duck was Drake’s calling, as much as medicine—and emergency room medicine in particular—was Elise’s calling. She would fight tooth and nail to keep doing what she did, and she would never let anything stop her from giving it up.

At least, not until she had tried everything. Not until she could fully admit defeat. Which was why it was frustrating to Elise that Drake was admitting defeat much sooner than she would have thought.

_But it may not be too late,_ she thought, rushing to get dressed.

Dr. Schwanz had a house-call to make.

*****

The rain started pouring in earnest as Elise pulled into the Mallard’s driveway, pulling up the hood of her raincoat as she made her way to the door. She rang the doorbell and heard stomping footsteps, and beyond the door Gosalyn’s voice say,

“Can’t believe I’m saying this, but if I ever see a pizza again, I’m gonna—”

The door opened and Gosalyn blinked up at Elise in surprise. Her red hair was frizzy, but clean; she had obviously gone to bed with her hair wet last night, having gotten cleaned up from the museum. Elise couldn’t remember if she had ever seen Gosalyn with her hair down before, but it seemed to be hiding the small but bright white butterfly stitches that Elise had applied the previous evening over the cut on her forehead.

“Elise?” Gosalyn exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to check up on my patient,” Elise said, slipping into the house, taking off her jacket and hanging it up. “Where’s your dad?”

Gosalyn scowled darkly. “You mean Mr. Hit-Rock-Bottom? He’s in the living room.”

Elise arched an eyebrow at her before she stepped into the living room.

And froze at what she saw.

She had never seen so many pizza boxes in all her life, and she had spent several summers working in a pizza shop.

“Where did—? How did—?” Elise said, looking around the living room in dismay as she stepped further into the chaos. Stacks upon stacks of pizza boxes, as far as the eye could see.

“I told you,” Gosalyn said as she stepped past Elise into the room. “Dad hit rock bottom.”

Elise shook her head, stepping further into the room, searching for any sign of Drake. Her foot caught on something and she heard a small grunt. She looked down. “Drake? What are you doing down there?”

“Hi, Elise,” Drake mumbled from where he was huddled underneath several pizza boxes he was using as a makeshift blanket. “Welcome to my retirement party.”

“More like your pity party,” Gosalyn grumbled as she moved pizza boxes off the couch, adding them to the other precarious stacks scattered around the room.

Elise ignored that, and crouched down so that she was closer to Drake’s level. “Drake Mallard, why are you lying on pizza boxes on the floor when there is a perfectly nice couch two steps away?”

“Don’t deserve a couch,” Drake mumbled, pulling a pizza box over his face. “It’s okay. I live here now. I’m one with the pizza, and the pizza is one with me.”

Elise sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing the spot between her eyes. No, it was too early for a Drake Mallard induced headache today, and she was starting to regret dumping out that coffee. She opened her eyes and stood up, turning to find Gosalyn. “Where’s Launchpad?”

“Calling every pizza shop in town, asking them to blacklist our address for a week,” Gosalyn answered. “He may be blind, but he figured out how to use the mobile ordering app really fast. Even if he did use it to unironically order none-pizza, left-beef in the process.”

“Hey, Gos, you think I should go ahead and call the grocery stores that do delivery, too?” Launchpad asked from the entryway. “Oh, hey, Elise.”

“Morning, Launchpad,” Elise said, bending down again to toss the pizza box blankets off of Drake, who hissed like a feral cat. Elise was having none of that. “Gosalyn, sweetie, do me a favor and go get your dad a glass of water. A big one. Biggest cup you can find. Launchpad, help me get this idiot up off the floor.”

“Uh, okay, sure,” Gosalyn said as Launchpad came over and helped Elise haul Drake to his feet, guiding him over to the couch, where he flopped over face-first. Elise made a gesture to Launchpad to flip Drake over, which he did, as Gosalyn reappeared, holding a large plastic cup full of water, a few ice-cubes bobbing at the top. “Here you go, Elise.”

“Thank you, Gos,” Elise said, accepting the cup. “This is perfect.”

And then she proceeded to pour the entire contents on Drake’s face, the ice-cubes bouncing off his face as he sputtered and sat up, swiping at his face with his hands.

“What was that for?” Drake demanded irritably.

“That,” Elise said, folding her arms over her chest. “Was your one and only wake-up call so that you can get your act together, _Darkwing Duck_.”

Drake scowled and huffed, turning his head away from her, reaching out with his hands to find a pizza box, opening it and tugging out a slice.

“I don’t know who you’re talking to,” Drake snapped before tearing out a bite of the slice, saying through a mouthful, “There is no one here by that name, Elise. Only a has-been superhero, and the world’s most useless one at that.”

“You’re not useless, Drake,” Launchpad said as he joined Drake on the couch, pushing away the pizza boxes as Drake made grabby-hands towards the box for another slice.

“Pizza…” Drake groaned.

“Nope, we’re cutting you off, this is an intervention,” Launchpad declared. “No more pizza for you.”

“You’ll get fat and it’s bad for your complexion,” Gosalyn piped in from where she sat on the back of the couch, hoping that would snap her dad out of his funk, appealing to his vanity and ego.

“Who cares?” Drake groaned again, throwing himself face-first into Launchpad’s lap. The pilot just shook his head and pat Drake’s back comfortingly.

“ _We_ care,” Elise said, shoving aside the pizza boxes on the coffee table so that she could sit on it. “Drake, you can’t just give up on life.”

“I’m not,” Drake huffed. “Just being Darkwing Duck.”

“That _is_ your life,” Elise argued. “Being Darkwing is as essential as breathing for you. It’s who you are, it’s a part of you. Your calling. Something you’ve worked hard for, something you’re amazing at.”

“Oh yeah?” Drake snapped. “Well, if I’m so good at it, how come I couldn’t stop Megavolt, huh?”

“One escaped bad guy doesn’t make the end of a career,” Elise said. “Trust me, Drake. You can’t let one failure, one mistake, one setback make you doubt everything you’ve worked for. Especially since it’s not over yet.”

“My career is definitely over,” Drake grumbled. “Even if I do get my sight back, I’m hanging up the cape.”

“I wasn’t talking about your career,” Elise said. “I meant in stopping Megavolt.”

“The police can handle it,” Drake argued.

That gave Elise an idea…

“And maybe they can,” Elise said casually. “You know, I was actually talking to Rosa this morning about the case.”

“You did?” Drake asked, just enough intrigue in his voice as he sat upright again. “Why?”

“Oh, you know, I’m invested now,” Elise said, winking at Launchpad and Gosalyn, who gaped at her in amazement. “This is my first time fighting crime. I’d like to see the case through. Justice served, you know what I mean? Anyway, I was hoping to get some more information about what the cops found last night, and anyway, Rosa was telling me that—oh, well, you probably don’t care. You want the police to handle it, so we’ll let the police handle it.”

“What?” Drake asked eagerly, then he seemed to catch himself and he cleared his throat, asking in a much more blasé tone, “What did Rosa tell you?”

Elise smirked. She had him. Hook, line, and now it was time for the grand finale, the sinker…

“Not much, admittedly,” Elise said, leaning back with her hands on the table behind her. “Since the case isn’t assigned to her squad. Said the case went to some guy named Kite Vulture?”

“Kite Vulture!” Drake exclaimed. He got to his feet and started stomping around the living room, raving, “That guy’s an idiot and a jerk, and Grizzlikoff’s protégé to boot! _Of course_ he’d swoop in and steal all the glory on this case! Not that he’s going to get any, because he’s the last person on earth who would be able to track down Megavolt! He’s got no idea how to do actual detective work, and couldn’t find his own lunch even if it was sitting on his desk! Why, he wouldn’t even _think_ to contact the Department of Water and Power to look for power surges! Because _clearly_ that is the best way to find Megavolt, and meanwhile he’d be waiting for a ransom note that would never arrive, or trying to frame Glomgold as an accomplice, or, or, or, I don’t know! Anything but the answer so obvious it’s practically a neon sign in the face that even _I_ can see—and I’m blind!”

“Yes, that does sound exactly like something a capable crime-solver would do,” Elise said, getting to her feet, Launchpad and Gosalyn both rushing to do the same. “Now, how about we go catch ourselves a supervillain?”

Drake froze mid-step. “Wait—What? HEY! PUT ME DOWN! LAUNCHPAD, PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!”

But Launchpad was not listening as he tossed Drake over his shoulder, and together they rushed out of the house.

They had a supervillain to track.

*****

Dr. Elise Schwanz walked confidently into the hospital and through to the back where employees and patients were. She had no trouble getting in; the security guard at the desk hadn’t checked her ID, only nodded and tipped his hat to her with an ‘Evening, Elise’. She hadn’t even needed to use the ID to get past the keycard lock; a friendly and over-eager med student was all too happy to hold the door for her with a greeting of, “Good evening, Dr. Schwanz!”

Both of these were a relief; she knew there had been a chance the ID had been reported as missing, the key within switched off and denied access. The less she had to use it, the better.

Once she was in the back, it took all that was in her to keep up the appearance of confidence and ease.

She had no idea where she was going. How was she supposed to navigate this maze?

“Oh! Hi, Dr. Schwanz!”

Elise blinked and looked over at the nurse’s station, where a sweet-looking young canary in pink scrubs stood, waving her over.

“I didn’t know you were coming back tonight,” The canary said as Elise approached, quickly glancing at the young lady’s name tag, hoping to get more information about her, but the only thing she could see was a bold ‘RN’ on the tag designating her as a nurse. “Is your emergency with your other job over, then?”

Emergency? Other job? What was she talking about?

Before she could think of an answer, the young lady—Sharon, according to her name tag, now that Elise could see it better—leaned over the counter and whispered, “Okay, like, how much confidentiality is involved? Is it Darkwing or Gizmoduck this time? I mean, no one has seen Gizmoduck in nearly two weeks, and I’m starting to get worried. Is he okay?”

Ah, _other job_ … Interesting piece of information. The girl had a clear infatuation for Gizmoduck; let’s see how much she can use that to her advantage…

“It _is_ Gizmoduck,” Elise confirmed in a low voice. “Nothing serious, mind you.”

Sharon’s eyes widened briefly, then she nodded, apparently trying to look stoic and more mature than her years, as she whispered, “If you… well, if you need help, caring for Gizmoduck, it would be my honor to care for the hero of Duckburg and nurse him back to health.”

Elise tried not to cringe at the blush on the girl’s cheeks and the brightness in her eyes, and it took everything within her to keep up the friendly smile on her face.

Yeah, ‘nurse him back to health’, indeed. She knew what _that_ was code for.

_Ugh, save your fantasies for fanfiction, sweetie…_

Then something else the girl said registered.

“Actually,” Elise said. “You _can_ help me, Sharon. I’m headed to the blood bank right now, I need to grab some transfusions.”

Sharon’s eyes widened again. “I thought you said it wasn’t serious!”

“It’s not _now_ ,” Elise said patiently. “But it was. At first. But he’s doing so much better now. But I’m all out of transfusions, and if he takes a turn for the worse…”

Sharon nodded and ran around the counter to Elise’s side, grabbing her by the wrist. “Then what are we waiting for?”

The young nurse pulled her along to the door and—Elise couldn’t believe her luck—used her own ID key to unlock the door, pushing it open.

“You pull what you need, and I’ll go grab a cooler for transport,” Sharon said, leaving Elise alone.

Elise stepped inside the cold room, where bags upon bags full of dark crimson blood were just waiting to be used.

Waiting for her.

Elise started with a bag of each type; she had great plans for experimentation. She held them close, heart pounding, waiting for Sharon to return but also dreading the arrival of anyone else. She had come this far without getting caught; she couldn’t get cocky or comfortable. For that matter, she couldn’t be too greedy. That might be suspicious.

“Here you go, Dr. Schwanz,” Sharon said as she rushed back in, carrying a small plastic cooler that had PROPERTY OF DUCKBURG HOSPITAL written on it with permanent marker across the sides. “I went ahead and added several ice packs, too.”

“Sharon, you are a treasure,” Elise said. “Thank you so much for your help.” She winked at the young woman. “I’ll make sure to tell Gizmoduck how much help you are. Perhaps he _would_ like a personal nurse to help in his recovery.”

Sharon looked like she could fall into a swoon then and there, letting out small, dainty, but downright giddy giggles.

Elise suspected that the internet would be treated to a Gizmoduck/Reader fanfiction in the near future, featuring a young nurse (who was totally _not_ a self-insert, where would you ever get that idea?) tending to a wounded armor-wearing superhero.

“I need to be off,” Elise said, closing up the cooler. “Thank you again. You have no idea how much help you’ve been tonight.”

“It’s the least I can do,” Sharon mumbled meekly, her eyes still shining and looking like a good breeze would topple her over.

Elise smiled and left the room, found her way back to her starting point, smiling and waving at passing doctors and nurses who greeted her. She disappeared out through the waiting area full of waiting patients who gave her a moment’s look and only a moment’s look when she didn’t call any names to the back. She walked out past the security guard, who once again tipped his hat at her, and out the front door, down the sidewalk, away from the hospital.

It was a relief in more ways than one to see the hearse idling by the side of the road, a block away. Elise opened the passenger door and slipped inside, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Mission accomplished, Toots?”

Morgana smiled as she dropped what was left of the glamour, what she had struggled to hold on to since she left the hospital.

Morgana lifted the cooler to show Jim before tucking it between her feet. “Like taking candy from a baby. This’ll last us a while.”

In the shadows, she saw Jim grin before he leaned over and kissed her, deeply, passionately. Morgana placed her hands on either side of his face, pulling him in deeper, riding the high of a successful heist, a successful spell with what little remained of her magic, and the promise of more magic to come and more chaos to bring.

She was Morgana McCawber, Sorceress.

And she would bring this city to its knees.

*****

“I am insulted!” Drake shouted from the back of the Thunderquack as Launchpad lowered it to the ground. “I am betrayed! I am furious! I am—”

“The terror that flaps in the night?” Gosalyn suggested, turning around in her seat to look at him.

“I am _not_ Darkwing Duck,” Drake snapped, his arms folded over his chest. For added emphasis, he kicked aside the bag that Gosalyn had brought along, which contained his costume and gear. “I am the poor victim of this crazy scheme. Kidnapped and betrayed by my so-called friend, daughter, and boyfriend.”

“Quit your whining,” Elise snapped. “You’re the reason we’ve been able to find Megavolt in the first place.”

“Yeah, because _you_ tricked me,” Drake grumbled. “And even though the old abandoned lighthouse _is_ seeing power surges, that isn’t enough proof that Megavolt is using this as a hideout. You’d need to do recon work around the perimeter and inside.”

“Sounds like fun,” Gosalyn said, unbuckling from her seatbelt. “Let’s go, guys!”

“I am _not_ going,” Drake declared, slumping backwards in his seat. “I’m out of the crime-busting business.”

“Fine, then, Spoilsport McBuzzkill, _you_ can stay here and keep the Thunderquack warm,” Elise said as she followed Gosalyn out of the ship. Drake grumbled behind them.

“Gyro gave me an updated earpiece system,” Launchpad told Drake. “I’ve got it hooked up to the Thunderquack’s sound system. So if something goes wrong, you’ll hear it.”

Drake said nothing and Launchpad put his hand on Drake’s shoulder briefly, giving it a squeeze before stepping out.

Elise, Gosalyn, and Launchpad approached the front door.

“Alright,” Elise said, smirking slightly. “Let’s get dangerous!” Then she glanced back at Launchpad and Gosalyn, saying, “Man, that is so much fun to say. Is this what it’s like to be Darkwing Duck? I think I could get used to this.”

“Isn’t it great?” Launchpad said, grinning.

Then he kicked down the door.

*****

Megavolt was happier than a lightning rod in a thunderstorm.

He had lucked out on finding this old lighthouse. Finally, he had his own place! Not his parents’ basement, not that freezing tent in the middle of nowhere, not even his own jail cell. And he was alone—blessedly, blissfully alone! No one to bother him, no weird roommates, no disgusting lovebirds to gross him out.

He had slept like a baby, gotten the place all set up to be a sweet hideout, and had—best of all—was more than well on his way to proving Jim wrong. He could hack it as a villain without a support system. He didn’t need Jim’s so-called master plan, or Morgana’s magic, or Quackerjack’s…

Well, he didn’t need Quackerjack.

The only thing that could have made it better if there wasn’t some strange city-wide pizza shortage. Seriously, what could possibly cause a city-wide pizza shortage?

Megavolt paused in polishing Elepaio’s lightbulb when he heard a crash from below.

It wasn’t the first odd sound he had heard since he had arrived. It was an old building, and so close to the ocean. It would only be a problem if…

Megavolt scowled as his alarm system went off.

It looked like he had visitors, and he doubted they were there to bring him a housewarming gift.

*****

Drake frowned. Sliding down so far in his seat had messed with the knot on the cloth wrapped around his eyes. He reached up and took it off, blinking a few times in the low light. He still couldn’t see; at least, not clearly. He could tell there was light coming from the Thunderquack’s dashboard, but not the color. Everything was still shadowy and blurry.

Still useless.

He was still useless.

Drake started wrapping the cloth around his hand, just waiting. Listening anxiously.

_Nothing’s going to happen,_ he told himself. _Megavolt’s probably not even here. It’s probably some fluke or—_

Drake’s blood ran cold as he heard the sound of alarms.

“Uh oh…” He heard Gosalyn whisper.

“Run,” Launchpad ordered. “Run!”

Drake sat up straighter, but by the time he had done that, it was too late. There was the sound of two screams and a yell of ‘Hey!’, then an irritatingly familiar voice say,

“Little late for sightseeing, isn’t it?”

“No,” Drake whispered as he hit his fist on the arm rest.

Megavolt had them.

Drake leapt to his feet. “What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?” He muttered to himself, trying to pace in the small space.

He was Drake Mallard: blind and defenseless and useless and…

Drake crashed to the floor as he tripped over something.

“Stupid bag,” He grumbled, feeling around on the floor for it the bag. “Full of stupid useless things, stupid—”

As he landed his hand on the bag, a thought occurred to him.

“Stupid me,” Drake whispered.

He tore open the bag, easily finding his costume by touch, pulling it out, holding the jacket, the cape, the gloves, the hat, the mask, all in a bundle on his lap.

He was Drake Mallard.

But he was also Darkwing Duck.

And it was time for Darkwing Duck to get back up.

Darkwing Duck quickly pulled on his costume, with the finishing touch of his hat.

Then, to himself—because he was the one who needed to hear it the most—he whispered,

“Let’s get dangerous.”

*****

“You know,” Elise said from where she held onto the bars of the cage that she, Launchpad, and Gosalyn were being held in. “I’m starting to think our strategy wasn’t actually as good as it sounded five minutes ago.”

“Hey, _you’re_ the one who got too comfortable being Darkwing Duck too fast,” Gosalyn told her, glancing over her shoulder from the other side of the cage, looking for an escape.

Elise really, really, really hated five-minutes-ago-Elise. Five-minutes-ago-Elise was an idiot.

_Oh, so_ that’s _what it feels like…_

She’d have to cut Drake and Fenton some slack in the future.

“So I caught three Darkwing Duck wannabes, huh?” Megavolt taunted from the ground. “How lovely. I’m sure Darkwing Duck will come quietly in exchange for the release of his little fan club. Like a lamb to the slaughter. He won’t _see_ it coming. Heh heh heh. Get it? _See_ it coming!”

“I might not see it coming, Sparky, but they can hear you running your big mouth all the way in Cape Suzette.”

Megavolt spun around and the cage began to swing as Launchpad and Gosalyn rushed over to Elise’s side.

“Oh yeah!” Launchpad cried out.

“Darkwing Duck is back, baby!” Gosalyn cheered, punching the air.

Elise’s face hurt from grinning so wide.

_I knew you could do it,_ she thought towards her friend as Darkwing Duck strode into the room.

“Oh, this is perfect,” Megavolt said, rubbing his hands together. “Here for your final smack-down, Dorkwing? You can’t beat me. I’ve got weapons, I’ve been charging my electricity all day, I’ve got the home-field advantage… and, to top it all off, _you. Can’t. See._ Do you honestly think you can defeat me? Seriously, Duck, have you lost your senses?”

Ever so slightly, Darkwing Duck smirked. “Just one.”

Then, quicker than a flash, Darkwing Duck threw a handful of smokebombs in Megavolt’s direction. While purple smoke filled the room, something else was thrown.

Something that shattered the only source of light in the room.

*****

Megavolt stumbled back in surprise. The room was full of smoke and darkness. He had closed the lighthouse shutters so no light could get out.

But it also meant that no light could get _in_. Not that there was much light outside in the cloudy night. It wasn’t total darkness in the lighthouse, but dark enough to be a hindrance.

“I’d say we’re on even ground now,” Darkwing called from somewhere in the dark. “Don’t you agree, Sparky?”

Megavolt sneered, a retort ready on his tongue.

But he was stopped short.

Megavolt let out a muffled cry as a hand clenched around his mouth, an arm dragging him backwards, and…

Another Megavolt stepped forward?

_What the—?_

He didn’t even get to finish his thought as the world went black.

*****

“I see now how you got your name,” Megavolt taunted. “You’ve always been in the dark. Why don’t you just give up?”

“I am Darkwing Duck,” Darkwing said, moving swiftly and carefully, listening, sensing, letting instinct lead. On his toes, fists curling, muscles loose. “And Darkwing Duck doesn’t give up. Darkwing Duck gets. Back. UP!”

Darkwing’s punch connected, and there was a crash as Megavolt toppled to the floor with a shout of pain.

“Why you…. You!” Megavolt sneered, pressing his fingers to his now-bruised eye, getting back to his feet. “Oh, you’re in for it now!”

With that, he launched himself at Darkwing.

*****

Gosalyn shook her phone, activating the flashlight, shining it around the cage.

“I’ve got an idea,” She declared.

“Does it involve getting us out of here?” Elise asked.

“Even better. It involves getting us out, and Megavolt in.”

*****

Darkwing was holding his own, landing punches and kicks on Megavolt, while also managing to block and dodge.

“Darkwing, this way! Follow the sound of our voices!”

Gosalyn? What was she—?

“Darkwing! Over here! Come on, over here!”

And Elise? What were…?

_Oh._ Oh, he had a good idea of what they were up to.

“Your little fan club knows your time’s up,” Megavolt sneered, not even noticing that Darkwing directed their fight across the room. “They want their final autographs. It’s curtain call for you, Deadmeat Duck!”

“Not before my encore performance!” Darkwing declared.

Darkwing gave Megavolt one final kick, sending him stumbling backwards…

Only for the large cage to crash down upon him, trapping him within the same trap that Launchpad, Gosalyn, and Elise had been in only moments before.

“Huh,” Launchpad said from the top of the cage, as Elise and Gosalyn climbed down. “Never crashed a cage before…”

“And you did it epically!” Gosalyn said, waving her arms about in her excitement.

“Hey! Watch where you’re pointing that, Gosalyn!” Darkwing said, holding up a hand to block out the light.

He blinked a few times, letting the spots dance in his vision. Then he realized something.

Darkwing had known that Gosalyn had been holding the light. Not because of the height of the origin of the light, but because he could see Gosalyn’s face illuminated by the flashlight on her phone.

“Gosalyn!” Darkwing exclaimed, grinning.

“Yeah?” Gosalyn asked, turning to him before letting out a cry of surprise as she was suddenly grabbed and tossed lightly into the air, then caught and spun around. “Hey! What’s all this abo—” Gosalyn cut herself off, her eyes wide. “Wait, can you see?”

“I can see!” Darkwing confirmed, hugging her tight.

“You can see?” Launchpad exclaimed.

“Yep!” Darkwing said, nodding. “I can—Oof!”

Darkwing and Gosalyn were both suddenly snatched up into Launchpad’s embrace. With a delighted laugh, Elise joined the group hug.

“See? What did I tell you?” Elise said. “It was only temporary.”

“Okay, okay,” Darkwing said from somewhere in the middle. “We still have a criminal to take to—” His voice trailed off, his eyes widening at the cage.

The empty cage, red smoke quickly fading.

“Jail…” Darkwing finished weakly.

“He’s gone?” Elise exclaimed. “How?”

“Looks like Morgana bailed him out again,” Launchpad said, frowning.

“Great,” Darkwing said sarcastically. “Just great…”

“Do you think we could still catch him in the Thunderquack?” Elise asked.

“Probably not, but…” Darkwing suddenly grinned. “We can ask Lena to come see what she can gather from Morgana’s magic. If we’re really lucky, it’ll lead us right to their hideout. In the meantime, I’m sure the museum would like to have that Elepaio lightbulb back as soon as possible.”

They carefully secured the lightbulb and left the lighthouse, returning to the Thunderquack. As she went to her seat, Elise saw something glint off the dim cabin lights.

Poking out from between the seat cushions was her missing ID badge, right where she could have sworn she had already thoroughly searched.

“Really?” Elise mumbled as she stuck her ID badge in her pocket. “It was here the whole time?”

She shook her head and remembered a phrase her grandma had used when she found something that she had been searching for that was in plain sight, usually emphasized with an annoyed huff or a chuckle depending on her mood: _If it was a snake, it would have bitten me._

Elise wanted to laugh or to roll her eyes. But, for some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had been bitten instead.

*****

Drake rapped his knuckle on the doorframe of Gosalyn’s bedroom door, and she looked up from where she was sprawled on her stomach, reading a graphic novel.

“I’m going to bed, Dad, as soon as I finish this chapter,” Gosalyn said.

“Actually, I was hoping we could talk,” Drake said, entering her room. Gosalyn sat up and made room for him on her bed.

“’Bout what?” She asked, tucking her bookmark in her book and setting it aside on her nightstand.

“Well, it’s just that, I’ve had a lot of things to think about the last few days, and I had a couple of realizations,” Drake said. “The big one—the most important one—is that I realized I don’t want to wake up without Launchpad at my side. We’ve been dating for a while now, but in the beginning we were very careful about keeping some boundaries, and separate living spaces was one of those, especially while everything was still so new. But he is here all the time anyways, and when he’s not here I miss him. And… we both know this is serious. Probably the most serious relationship either of us have ever been in. We’d… well, we’ve even talked about marriage before. We’re in it for the long-haul. But my feelings aren’t the only ones that matter here. This is your space, too, and those boundaries I talked about were largely for your benefit. And I guess the point I’m getting to here is, I wanted to know how you would feel about asking Launchpad to move in with us?”

Gosalyn grinned. “I feel like it’s about time, Dad.”

Drake smiled. “So that’s a yes?”

“That’s an absolutely!” Gosalyn said, throwing her arms around Drake’s neck. “I love Launchpad, and would love it if he lived with us full time! Like you said, he pretty much does anyway. It’ll just be official now.”

Drake pressed a kiss to the top of Gosalyn’s head. “How about I go text him now, and ask Launchpad to meet us for brunch? We can ask him to move in over pancakes. Or are waffles better for this sort of thing?”

“I dunno. Guess we’ll just have to order both to be on the safe side,” Gosalyn said with a sly grin.

“Brilliant idea, daughter of mine,” Drake ruffled her hair and stood up. “I’ll leave you to your book. You can stay up a bit later if you’re reading, but not too late, got it?”

“Got it,” Gosalyn said, grabbing her book again. “Night, Dad.”

“Night, Gos.” Drake said, leaving her room.

He sent a quick text to Launchpad, who responded fast and plans were made by the time Drake was at the bottom of the stairs. He knew, logically, that he should turn his attention to the pizza mountain he had created that morning in his despair. But, instead, he grabbed his laptop and went into the kitchen, making himself a cup of tea. He wasn’t really much of a tea drinker, but he didn’t want to make coffee and he needed to do something, anything, to keep his mind and hands busy while he summoned the courage for what he would do next.

Drake sat down, set aside the cup of tea, and opened his laptop.

The other major realization he had was that he needed a back-up plan. In case, next time, an injury was a lot more permanent than his blindness had been. Something that could stop him from being Darkwing Duck for good.

But, at the same time, he had an idea that could further help him in his crime-fighting career. Now he just had to do some research…

Steeling himself, he typed in ‘Duckburg University’ into his search bar. Drake still winced when he thought about how he had dropped out, how he’d felt like a failure, how he could practically see and hear his father’s face and voice saying ‘I told you so’. How he had promised that it was just for a semester, until he could build up some more money, because running himself ragged with three part-time jobs and a full course-load wasn’t working. But one semester turned into two, and became a promise to take summer classes, and then that promise became to start at the new academic year, and, no, he really just needed one more semester until finally he had to acknowledge that he wasn’t going back.

For a long time, he hadn’t been able to hear, see, or speak the words ‘Duckburg University’ without feeling like he was drowning under a tsunami of shame and self-loathing. Eventually, he had built up a tolerance to it; somedays, he barely noticed or cared. Somedays, he felt numb and empty of emotion regarding that place.

And now here he was, nearly ten years later, staring at the webpage of the same university that he thought was going to be his salvation. His origin story. Where he could fulfill all his dreams. Instead, it was lonely, and soul-sucking, and dream-crushing.

He hadn’t made any friends due to either being in class or working all the time, he struggled to keep his bills paid and his grades up, and suffocated under the feeling of imposter syndrome and inadequacy in his theatre classes. Critiques from the theatre professors always stung, no matter how gently they were delivered or if they were mixed in with praise. Even compliments from professors and fellow students alike didn’t make him happy. If nothing else, they added to the worries that kept him up at night. The intrusive thoughts that told him he was never going to be as good as his classmates, that he didn’t deserve a place in the program, that everyone was simply humoring him and his dreams.

In the end, Drake had never been able to achieve the dream he had when he first attended Duckburg University. But now he had a new dream that was very different from the old one, but one that made him happy—regardless of his varying levels of success.

And now Drake clicked on the ‘Degree Programs’ link, wondering if this shameful part of his past could still benefit his present and future.

He found what he was looking for quickly.

Drake clicked on the link to the Criminal Justice program, and read through the details of the degree and department until long after his tea got cold.

*****

There were worse things than being grabbed by some unseen person, getting knocked unconscious, and waking up in the back of a hearse.

And even those things paled in comparison to being yanked out of the hearse and thrown onto the ground by a furious Jim Starling. No, no, he was wrong. He was not facing Jim Starling. When he had those psychopath eyes, he was all Negaduck.

“And just what,” Negaduck snarled as he glared down at Megavolt. “Were you thinking, numbskull? Runnin’ off on your own like that? Taking on Darkwing Duck on your own like that? Do you have _any_ idea just how easily you could have ruined everything?”

Megavolt scrambled back on his hands and tail, looking around for anything to defend himself with. He saw Quackerjack in his tent, peeking out through the opening, holding that stupid Mr. Banana Brain up to see the drama. Megavolt scowled at the clown.

“Don’t blame Quackerjack for you being fool enough to get caught,” Negaduck drawled, stepping closer to Megavolt. “He didn’t breathe a word to us. You’re too much of a technology lover to have gone on a ‘long walk in the woods’. You hate the woods. You don’t think I could have guessed what you were up to? Only to have it confirmed when Morgs and I made our own trip to town?”

He said this last with a jerk of his head to gesture behind him, where Morgana hung in the shadows, a plastic cooler at her feet. She also looked angry, though perhaps for a different reason. She held an icepack to one of her eyes. Where she got the icepack, Megavolt didn’t know. But he was pretty certain he knew where she got the shiner.

Of course, she was the other Megavolt. And she had fought Darkwing Duck. And lost. Perhaps purposefully. But that didn’t make taking the punches any easier. And it made Megavolt angrier, realizing that Jim and Morgana had stepped in needlessly, that they had taken over.

“I had Darkwing Duck handled,” Megavolt argued. “I had him right where I wanted him. And I could have ended him—”

“Could have,” Morgana spat. “You were in Duckburg for over twenty-four hours. And you didn’t take the metaphorical shot.” She sneered at him. “You know, Sparky, if you hadn’t been such a coward, this wouldn’t be such a problem.”

“I’m not a coward, and I told you both that he is blind!” Megavolt insisted. “I went to do what you couldn’t! I lured Darkwing out! I took advantage of his weakness! If you hadn’t intervened, he would be—”

“ _Was_ ,” Negaduck said, starting to pace, arms tucked behind his back. “Darkwing Duck was blind. He could have been blind and dead if you had actually thought this through. But you apparently don’t have the brain capacity to think, since not only did you get caught by Darkwing—again, this time in your own hideout—but he’s still alive, still our problem, and, oh yeah, fully able to see again. You blew your shot, dim bulb.”

Negaduck stopped pacing, and turned to look down at Megavolt, disgust and condescension in his entire expression. “Now, are you finally ready to do this my way? The right way? The smart way?”

Megavolt grit his teeth. He couldn’t deny the charges Negaduck lay before him. He had screwed up. He had his shot, and he had wasted it. And for what? Nothing. That’s right.

“Fine,” Megavolt spat. “Fine, _Jim_. We’ll do your big, complicated, mysterious scheme. We’ll fall in line like good little brainwashed minions.”

Negaduck scowled at him, then rolled his eyes. He turned his back on Megavolt.

“Megavolt, Quackerjack,” He said. “I will tell you the plan—when it is relevant, when it affects you, when I have roles for you. I won’t tell you all, because, frankly, I don’t trust either of you idiots. But you’re not our prisoners. You’re free to come and go as you please. So, sure, fine, go muck about in Duckburg. Make Darkwing Duck and Gizmoduck’s lives a bit of hell. Feel free to add some chaos to the universe. But know this: if you get caught, if your asses get hauled to jail, don’t come crying to me. That’s it. Game over. The get-out-of-jail-free card Morgana and I gave you when you joined us was a one-time deal.

“Be as chaotic as you want. Be as evil as you want. Be as stupid as you want. But if you’re gonna go run your own little schemes on your own in Duckburg, you better learn to think and think things through. Because if you’re not actively following my plan, then we’re not going to bail you out. You’re on your own.”

Negaduck looked over his shoulder and smirked slightly as he said, “Do we have an understanding, _Sparky_?”

Megavolt was fuming, but the implications made his blood run cold.

“Yes,” He said. “We have an understanding.”

Negaduck nodded then strode over towards Morgana, scooping up the cooler with one hand and putting his arm around his girlfriend’s waist, leading her into the trailer. The door slammed, leaving the outside world in silence. Even the crickets stopped chirping.

Then there was the sound of a tent zipper coming undone and Quackerjack stuck his head out of his tent.

“I think that went well, don’t you agree, Sparky?”

Megavolt scowled at him as he pushed himself off the ground, brushing dirt and grass off of his jumpsuit. “I think your brain is a rubber squeaky chicken, that’s what I think. Were you even listening to a word he said?”

Quackerjack grinned and tumbled out of the tent. Literally. Did a sommersault and landed on his feet. “I listened to every single word Jim said, yes. Which is how I know that you managed to do something great through being a complete and utter ninconpoop.”

“And what, exactly, is that?”

Quackerjack’s grin grew, and Megavolt shifted slightly at how… deranged the clown appeared.

“We just got full permission to go as wild as we want on Duckburg. The only rule is don’t get caught. Well, there’s a lot we can do.”

Megavolt started to catch on. “Provided we don’t get caught.”

Quackerjack stuck out a hand. “I propose we get into funny business together.”

Megavolt arched an eyebrow at the extended hand. “There’s a joy buzzer on your hand, isn’t there?”

Quackerjack smirked. “ _What_? _No_ , I would _never_ … Though you’d have to admit, if there was a joy buzzer on my hand, it’d be rather symbolic of our partnership. So, deal or no deal?”

Megavolt rolled his eyes, but said “Deal” and extended his own hand.

Wouldn’t you know it? There was a joy buzzer awaiting him in that handshake.

Megavolt started to wonder that if, perhaps, that was a sign that Jim was right and he didn’t think things through.

And if, perhaps, if he took Jim’s advice and actually thought things through, he’d ask himself _What the heck have I gotten myself into?_ a lot less.

*****

“Wait,” Steelbeak said. “So you’re tellin’ me that you just barely missed a chance to rob Darkwing Nut blind?”

“Lovely use of that phrase,” Femme Fatale said as she walked through the streets of Duckburg, her hands in her pockets, sunglasses on her face, wireless earbuds in. She was dressed comfortably but stylishly, though not so much that she stood out. Rather, she blended in easily. Exactly what she needed for this mission. “But, yes, I did. Apparently.”

“You don’t sound all that upset about it.”

“That’s because I’m not.”

“But it woulda been like takin’ candy from a baby, y’know? So easy. In and out.”

“Yes, but it would have been _too_ easy. This mission isn’t worth it if there isn’t a challenge.”

“You sound like Black Heron.”

“Ouch. Sounds like someone doesn’t want me to bring him home a souvenir.”

“From Duckburg? Ha! Spent enough time in that dump to know there’s nothing worthwhile there. Other than McDuck, of course.”

“And the gas gun.”

“Still don’t know why you want that thing so bad. It’s out of date by a decade. We’ve got bigger, badder, and better weapons now.”

“It’s the principle of the thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

“So what is your big master plan? How you gonna get it from him now?” Steelbeak asked. He sounded a bit concerned, adding, “I don’t mind comin’ out and helpin’ you, you know. We could do a variation of last time, with Gizmoduck.”

“Aw, do you miss me?” Femme Fatale crooned. Steelbeak was an idiot, but there was something endearing about the big buffoon. Not that she’d ever tell him that. They were as close to being friends as any two F.O.W.L agents could be.

“More worried that you need some muscle to back you up,” Steelbeak said. “You’re completely alone there. You get caught… Well, I don’t think the directors are gonna be quick to organize your rescue mission.”

_Not after terminating Dee,_ Femme Fatale thought.

It was amazing how, for an organization so meticulous as F.O.W.L, all it took was one young woman to wreak havoc on everything and everyone. Even the agents who had never heard of Gandra Dee knew about her now. Not officially, of course, but through gossip. F.O.W.L agents were actually some of the worst gossips on the planet. Don’t tell the Buzzards.

“You don’t have permission, and you’re not going rogue for this,” Femme Fatale told Steelbeak sternly. “I’ve got this. Everything is—”

She paused in front of the window for a business, pink cursive proclaiming it to be Clarabelle’s Ice Dream Parlor. She saw a quartet of ducklings sitting in a booth, laughing and chatting together over ice-cream. She recognized the three boys instantly. McDuck’s triplet great-nephews. Huh, so _that_ was why their codenames were Red, Blue, and Green. She’d always thought the surveillance department had been feeling lazy that day.

But Femme Fatale didn’t care about them. Her eyes were on the only girl in the bunch, a big pink bow in her hair.

Webby Vanderquack, granddaughter of legendary S.H.U.S.H Agent Twenty-Two. Femme Fatale had heard about the girl’s exploits with McDuck—including one involving Black Heron that Femme Fatale couldn’t help but find hilarious. Black Heron, bested by a little girl! What was there not to laugh at?

However, it was the rumors surrounding the girl that intrigued Femme Fatale the most. The rumors that said Twenty-Two trained the girl from the day she hatched to be the ultimate agent. The ultimate weapon. Femme Fatale wouldn’t have put such a thing past Twenty-Two. Not after…

After.

Anger simmered in Femme Fatale at the thought of the retired S.H.U.S.H agent. She knew Twenty-Two was here in Duckburg, of course. She didn’t need recon work for that. Twenty-Two was McDuck’s housekeeper now—oh how the mighty had fallen. But Femme Fatale also knew that, ultimately, Twenty-Two was the reason she was here, not Darkwing Duck. He just had the misfortune of being trapped in the middle. And being in possession of the object Femme Fatale desired most in the world.

Femme Fatale knew Twenty-Two had to be the one who was Darkwing Duck’s connection to S.H.U.S.H. She had to have played a role in getting the gas gun to him in the first place. However, Femme Fatale had to wonder _why_. Was it out of spite? Did Twenty-Two think it would be funny, to give that caped buffoon what was rightfully Femme Fatale’s? A final snub? Did she think she could get away with it, because Femme Fatale was never to know?

Well. She did know. And she was out for revenge.

“Femme? Hey, Femme? You good?”

Femme Fatale snapped back to attention.

“I’m still here,” Femme Fatale said quickly, forcing herself to keep walking. She had places to go, things to do, heists to plan. “Sorry. Must have hit a dead zone. You were saying?”

Darkwing Duck and the gas gun weren’t her only targets on this mission.

No, Twenty-Two—and her little tiny pink protégé—would suffer as well.

Femme Fatale was going to make sure of it.


End file.
